Factors related to foreign nurse graduates' test-taking performance.

The essential problem in the immigration of foreign nurse graduates (FNGs) to the United States is their poor incidence of success in meeting state licensure requirements. Factors responsible for the low success rate include nonfamiliarity with multiple-choice format in tests, lack of English proficiency, and anxiety. This study gathered information regarding FNGs' experience in taking state board examinations and demonstrated relationships between factors identified above and scores obtained by FNGs on achievement tests developed according to the American Nurses' Association Blueprint for Licensing Examination for R.N. Licensure.