ATI (Assessment Technologies Inc.) is the company that, among other things, constructs and authors the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The TEAS measures and assesses a person's ability to be academically prepared to enter and succeed in nursing school. The data from this test is highly useful and helpful to those considering entering a nursing school and it is also helpful to nursing programs that use TEAS scores as part of their admission criteria. People who are interested in embarking on a career in nursing want to be able to successfully graduate from a nursing school without failure and schools of nursing want to provide quality education to those who are able to succeed in and graduate from their school of nursing. This standardized test also gives test-takers valid and reliable data that reflects their strengths, their weaknesses, their areas that need improvement and remediation, and their readiness, or lack of readiness, to begin nursing school.
"Nursing student attrition continues to pose a problem and, when paired with an already understaffed nursing workforce, interventions are urgently needed. Inconsistent measurement of attrition data has historically impeded studying the causes of nursing school attrition. ATI partners with the majority of nursing programs in the United Sates and, as a result, a product usage based, and broadly applicable, proxy for understanding nursing student attrition is described in this paper. After comparing product usage at the beginning and conclusion of each graduating class, attrition rates were calculated for 3,084 unique RN classes (2009-2011). Of these classes, 528 classes' students were found to have been screened using the TEAS V during pre-admissions testing. Analysis of class level TEAS V data shows that programs with higher TEAS V performance have significantly lower nursing student attrition."
TEAS is a predictor test that statistically predicts whether or not a person can pass and graduate from a school of nursing. This type of comprehensive test statistically measures the test taker’s knowledge in four academic areas or subjects which are:
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TEAS is a timed test that has only multiple-choice questions with four possible choices.
The test has a total of 170 multiple-choice questions and the total time that you have in order to take and complete the test is exactly 209 minutes or 3 hours and 29 minutes. Only 150, of the total 170, multiple-choice questions are scored and graded. The remaining 20 questions are NOT scored, graded, or part of your score on the test. These 20 questions are used by ATI to determine whether or not these questions are good and whether these questions can or cannot be used in future tests. These questions do NOT affect your final grade on the test
Each of the four areas has different maximum time allotments and each has a different number of questions.
These maximum time allotments and the number of questions are shown below for each of the four major testing sections:
Although the test time is exactly 209 minutes, all test takers will be given a 10-minute break after the Mathematics section of the test, which is the second of the four sections in the examination. These 10 minutes are NOT considered part of the 209 minutes allocated for the test.
If there is a need for you to take a break, use the restroom, or for any other reason, you must raise your hand to get permission to do so. The time you spend taking this optional break will be counted against your test time. It is, therefore, highly recommended that you not take any breaks other than the 10-minute break all are given after the Mathematics section.
Unlike the TEAS V, you will be provided with a four-function calculator and scrap paper to use during the tests. All scrap paper, used and unused, and the calculator must be returned to the test monitor, or proctor after the test is over.
The difficulty of the exams is on par with each other however adjustments were made in the ATI TEAS to align current academic standards and understandings.
Currently, the exam runs $81 according to the ATI website.
The TEAS Reading test section measures and tests your ability to comprehend some reading passages that contain multiple paragraphs and also to interpret labels, maps, graphs, charts, directions, and measurement tools.
The three subsections for the TEAS reading section and the number of scored questions for this section are:
The three subsections for the TEAS reading section are further divided, similar to the other three major testing areas of TEAS. For the purpose of this TEAS review, we will refer to these and the other subsections of the TEAS with coding as below.
PLEASE NOTE: A tutorial content area labeled R II: 3 relates to the meaning of words and phrases in context and a test question labeled R III; 1 relates to primary sources in various media.
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
The TEAS mathematics test section measures and tests your ability to use algebra, measure, interpret data, and perform various mathematical operations using numbers.
The two subsections for the TEAS mathematics section and the number of scored questions for this section are:
The two subsections for the TEAS mathematics section are further divided, similar to the other three major testing areas of TEAS. Again, for the purpose of this TEAS review, we will refer to these and the other subsections of the TEAS with coding as below.
PLEASE NOTE: A tutorial content area labeled M II: 3 relates to the comparison and ordering of rational numbers and a test question labeled M II: 4 relates to primary sources in various media.
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
Candidates often find this section to be one of the most challenging. The TEAS Science subtest assesses a student’s knowledge of scientific reasoning, life science, the human body, and physical and earth science.
The TEAS science test section measures and tests your knowledge of life sciences, physical science, earth science, scientific reasoning, and the human body.
The three subsections for the TEAS science section and the number of scored questions for this section are:
The three subsections of the TEAS science section are further divided, similar to the other three major testing areas of TEAS. Again, for the purpose of this TEAS review, we will refer to these and the other subsections of the TEAS with coding as below.
PLEASE NOTE: A tutorial content area labeled S I: 3 relates to the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system and a test question labeled S II: 4 relates to basic atomic structure.
Physiology is the study of the functions of the body. Anatomy and physiology, although technically discrete and different bodies of knowledge, anatomy, and physiology are closely aligned with each other. For example, the anatomy of cardiac muscles enables the physiological performance of the heart to fulfill the body's physical need for blood flow and oxygenation and the anatomy of the digestive system enables the person to consume food and process foods so that the physical need for nutrition is fulfilled.
Some of the major physical needs of the body that are fulfilled with the body's physiology and its physiological functioning are the need for:
In this section, you are expected to be able to describe the following:
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
The TEAS English and Language Usage test section measures and tests your knowledge of spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and contextual words.
The three subsections of the TEAS English and Language Usage test section are:
PLEASE NOTE: A tutorial content area labeled L I: 3 relates to the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system and a test question labeled 1 II: 4 relates to basic atomic structure.
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
In this section, you are expected to be able to:
Now go get accepted into nursing school!
PLEASE NOTE: ATI Testing, ATI™, TEAS®, and other trademarks are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with RegisteredNursing.org.
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