Am I required to take the PBDS test?
The majority of our Hospital clients do NOT require PBDS testing, as Freedom Healthcare Staffing has a strong reputation for hiring clinically sound travel nurses. However, some of our Hospital clients do require the testing. If you do apply for a temporary nurse travel assignment at a Hospital that does require the testing, your healthcare staffing professional will provide you with various PBDS study guide materials to prepare you for the test. To date, 100% of our Travel Nurses that have elected to be submitted for a travel nurse job requiring the test have successfully completed the PBDS test for their temporary nurse travel assignment.
About the PBDS Test
According to the Company that has developed and markets the test, the Performance Based Development System (PBDS) is a customized competency assessment process that evaluates hospital personnel’s ability to do the job. This test has gained a foothold in many large hospital systems throughout the Country, and many Travel Nurses at some point in his or her career may encounter this test for consideration for a temporary nurse travel assignment.
The PBDS addresses competency in three skill sets: critical thinking, interpersonal relations and technical skills. Your responses as a travel nurse are evaluated against standards set forth by the Hospital.
Used effectively, the PBDS test is used to supplement orientation efforts in an area a new RN may be weak in; however, for a travel nurse, unsatisfactory completion of the test often results in termination of your temporary assignment.
The test commences with a baseline assessment that consists of a number of exercises in one of four specialties: Medical/Surgical, Critical Care, NICU, and OB. Some exercises are administered with pen and paper, some are pictures, but the majority are video modules. Based on your observations from the scenarios depicted from the video modules, judgments are made on what is the probable diagnosis, initial nursing interventions and what actions you would take in that situation.
On occasion, test results are negatively impacted because the test taker omits or overlooks aspects of care because they seem too obvious or routine, so don’t forget to include the obvious actions in your response.