EXPLORING THE VALUE AND CHALLENGES OF COMPUTER-BASED TESTING FOR NURSING LICENSURE IN AKWA IBOM, NIGERIA

This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of nursing students in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, regarding the use of computer-based testing (CBT) for licensure exams. The research adopted a descriptive design and involved 218 final-year nursing students (139 nursing students and 79 midwifery students) who had previously participated in CBT. Data collection was carried out through a self-administered questionnaire designed by the researcher. The gathered data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, employing descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviation, and inferential statistics, specifically the t-test, to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that both nursing and midwifery students held positive perceptions of CBT's usefulness for licensure exams, with mean scores of 3.45 for nursing students and 3.41 for midwifery students. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the perceptions of CBT between the two groups, as p-values exceeded the 0.05 significance level. The study concluded that nursing students in Akwa Ibom generally viewed the adoption of CBT for licensure exams positively. However, the study also highlighted some challenges, such as the need for sufficient training, functional computers, and addressing power outages during CBT. The findings suggest that these barriers should be mitigated to enhance the successful implementation of CBT in future licensure exams