If you’re reading this then you’re probably applying for (or at least thinking about it) to a nursing or midwifery related course. Courses are available at over 70 universities, but many of them will ask you to sit a literacy and numeracy test before accepting your application. In this guide we’ll go over some of the universities and their tests in detail, to give you an idea of what you’ll need to know and how to prepare.
From the get go, to get a place on a nursing course you’ll need to have C grades at GCSE in English and Maths, but many universities are now asking applicants to take nursing-specific English and Maths tests to make sure that they have the necessary skills. The tests are usually administered at a selection day or similar event.
Just for TipTopJob readers, we’ve outlined some of the different tests used by different universities, and the keys to success. Read through the information, and make sure you practice for the tests by using JobTestPrep’s specially created nursing numeracy and literacy test pack.
Applicants to Coventry, Leeds, King’s College London, UWE, Salford, Anglia Ruskin, London South Bank, Greenwich, Middlesex will need to pass the aptitude tests before being accepted onto a course.
Applicants to nursing at Coventry University will be invited to a selection event which includes nursing numeracy and literacy tests. The numeracy test here is a mental arithmetic test and focuses on the four basic mathematical functions. Questions might be straight-up Maths, or they might take the form of a word problem based on a nursing scenario. The English test will ask you to write a short piece on why you want to become a nurse. The keys to success here are: spelling and grammar; being able to present your points in a concise manner; and a clear writing style.
Applicants to Leeds won’t be tested on literacy, but will need to pass a numerical exam (also at a selection event). You’ll be tested on addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, fractions and percentages. You’ll also be asked to perform basic drug calculations, and some questions might require you to convert weights and volumes between the imperial and metric systems. No calculators allowed, but you can use a pen and paper to work out your answers.
King’s College also invite their nursing applicants to a selection event in order to complete literacy and numeracy tests, and an interview. To get to the interview stage, you’ll first need to pass the tests. For the literacy test, you’ll have 20 minutes to answer questions on a nursing-related text. The test examines how well you can read, understand and apply information in a piece of text in a nursing context. The timing is pretty tight, so you’ll have to work quickly but carefully.
The numeracy test is also timed, and tests similar skills to those tested in the other universities’ maths tests. The crucial difference here is that the test is timed – you’ll have to get through 15 questions in 20 minutes.
UWE, Middlesex, Greenwich, Salford and Anglia Ruskin and many other universities also put their applicants through similar tests to the ones we’ve outlined above. While the timing and format of the tests may differ slightly, the content is fairly standard. Some universities (such as London South Bank) also ask you to take a situational judgement test, which is designed to examine whether you have the right personality, attitude and abilities for a career in nursing. The test is in a multiple choice format and is based on scenarios that might happen in the day-to-day life of a nurse.
We’ve included some examples of questions from the nursing tests. If you find these questions daunting and you need to brush up on some of the skills you might not have used since school, then try the practice tests at JobTestPrep. They have a whole range of nursing numeracy and literacy test packs, designed to help guide you through the process.
Check out some example questions here.
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