Nursing & Affiliate Health Professions PSB Aptitude Test Practice

• About Psychological Services Bureau (PSB) Tests
• PSB Tests
• PSB Aptitude Test Sections
• Prepare for the PSB Exam

Psychological Services Bureau (PSB) Tests

PSB tests provide a view of prospective students’ abilities, skills and character traits concerning necessary aptitudes for success in the healthcare sector. This standardized test has proven to be predictive of student success in healthcare educational programs.

• Format – PSB tests are formatted as either computer-based or Paper & Pencil, at the discretion of the educational entity administering the test. Expect to take a multiple-choice test in four of the five exam parts. Part V, Vocational Adjustment Index, carries an Agreement/Disagreement format.
• Scores – Your score is based solely on the number of correct answers. Therefore, it is to your benefit to answer every question; guess if necessary. Each score is converted to a percentile rank.

Specific PSB Tests

There are four different examinations that have been developed by PSB. The test that you take will depend upon the particular healthcare field that you are interested in entering. Each exam assesses the student’s readiness and ability to succeed in classrooms that lead to a degree in the health professions.

Aptitude for Practical Nursing Examination

This PSB nursing test is administered to students who have applied to educational programs for prospective practical and vocational nurses. The five parts to the Aptitude for Practical Nursing Examination include: Part I Academic Aptitude; Part II Spelling; Part III Information in the Natural Sciences; Part IV Judgment and Comprehension in Practical Nursing Situations; and Part V Vocational Adjustment Index.

Health Occupations Aptitude Examination

The PSB Health Occupations Aptitude Exam is administered to those who are interested in various health care career choices. The five parts of the Health Occupations Exam include: Part I Academic Aptitude that measures the ability to learn; Part II Spelling; Part III Reading Comprehension; Part IV Information in the Natural Sciences; and Part V Vocational Adjustment Index.

Registered Nursing School Aptitude Examination

This PSB Nursing test was developed to measure readiness for instruction in professional nursing, but is also be used for other purposes such as placement, counseling, and curriculum planning. The five parts of this exam include: Part I Academic Aptitude that measures the ability to learn; Part II Spelling; Part III Reading Comprehension; Part IV Information in the Natural Sciences; and Part V Vocational Adjustment Index.

Reading Comprehension Examination

The title of this PSB test explains its focus. You can expect to read various passages, each followed by questions requiring recall of information, analysis, summary or conclusions, all based solely on the information contained in the passage.

PSB Aptitude Test Sections

Each PSB test has various test sections measuring skills required to be successful in that particular profession. Becoming familiar with PSB test sections will get you one step close to successfully passing the exam.

PSB Academic Aptitude: The focus of Academic Aptitude is on the capacity to learn. There are 90 questions in this exam portion, which contains three sections/subtests:

• Verbal: This section of the Academic Aptitude PSB test focuses on vocabulary. The exam presents five alternative words. Four of the response choices have the same meaning. The task is to select the one alternative that means something entirely different.
• Arithmetic: This section of the test includes basic eighth-grade math. Expect questions that contain arithmetic computations and concepts such as word problems, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages and ratios. PSB tests are timed, establishing the essential nature of working quickly through the exam. The more familiar you become with the types of PSB math questions by working on PSB sample tests, the more you will increase your speed and accuracy.
• Nonverbal: In this section contains geometric forms. You will need to demonstrate your spatial and visualization skills through questions that have the format: “X is to Y as A is to ____”. Various shapes take the place of each letter.

Spelling: PSB exams present three spellings for the same word. The task is to select the alternative containing the correct spelling.

Information in the Natural Sciences: The Natural Sciences section of the PSB aptitude test includes basic science facts concerning areas such as measurement conversion, biology, chemistry, health, safety, acids, pH and a few electrical questions.

Judgment & Comprehension in Practical Nursing Situations: This portion of the Practical Nursing exam measures how you would handle work situations that commonly arise in nursing positions.

Vocational Adjustment Index: The behavioral portion of PSB exams assesses your attitudes, feelings, opinions and preferences to ensure that your character traits are a good match with the healthcare profession. Many statements are presented, each is accompanied by an Agreement/Disagreement scale.

Preparing for the PSB Exam

TestPrep-Online prepares you for the PSB test with in depth test content and format to enhance test results.We also are currently working on study guides and practice tests to thoroughly prepare for PSB exams.