Nursing faculty are being called to review and revise curricula and nursing strategies to incorporate collaboration. One nursing strategy for faculty to consider is the use of collaboratively writing exams. Writing exams individually have been the tradition in nursing education as many nurse educators believe that students must gain knowledge individually to be able to pass the licensing exam. However, with the increased calls for nursing faculty to revise curricula to include collaboration, some nurse educators are researching the strategy of gaining knowledge by working together on exams. Limited studies conducted with nursing students collaboratively writing exams, results in mixed findings as to improvement in test scores, the ability to explain rationale and critically think, and increased knowledge retention. The purpose of this study was to examine whether collaborative unit testing was more effective than individualized unit testing on long-term knowledge retention as measured by scores on individual comprehensive final exams. The sample population was comprised of 57 senior nursing students concurrently enrolled in Critical Care and Mental Health or Critical Care and Community health courses in Midwest baccalaureate nursing program. A quantitative non-randomized quasi-experimental within group control study design was used to answer the question of whether baccalaureate nursing students participating in collaborative, multiple choice unit testing in Critical Care would have higher retention of course content compared to individualized unit testing in Mental Health or Community Health. Results indicated collaborative unit testing was not more effective than individualized unit testing on long-term knowledge retention of nursing course content for students concurrently enrolled in Critical Care and Mental Health or Critical Care and Community Health. There was no significant increase in short-term knowledge retention of nursing course content with collaborative testing compared to individualized unit testing for students concurently enrolled in Critical Care and Mental Health or Critical Care and Community Health. There was also no significant increase in long-term knowledge retention of nursing course content with collaborative unit testing compared to individualized unit testing for students concurrently enrolled in Critical Care and Mental Health or Critcial Care and Community Health. The results of this study did not indicate an increase in knowledge retention using collaborative testing.
