Introduction. The ‘Basis of Nursing’ course is run during the first year of a Bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing at all universities and state vocational schools. This course ends with an exam in most schools. Aim. The study aimed to characterize and perform a preliminary analysis of the results of test exams in the ‘Basis of Nursing’ course conducted at selected Polish university-level schools. Material and methods. Exam results in the ‘Basis of Nursing’ course for the first-year full-time Bachelor students of Nursing between 2006 and 2012 at Pomeranian Medical University (PMU) and Warsaw Medical University (WMU). Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the exams: analysis of the number of students taking the exam and analysis of the exam structure: a total number of questions, number of answer options, number of questions removed, minimum and maximum number of points, average, test reliability, number of questions with negative correlation, test easiness. Results. Pomeranian Medical University – 100 questions, 4 answer options, min. 41, max. 88, average score: 67.62. Warsaw Medical University – 60 questions, 4 answer options, min. 20, max. 51, average score: 38.33. Conclusions. The test exams for the ‘Basis of Nursing’ course in the two university-level schools were not standardized and their structure differed at various universities. There is a need to develop a coherent system of collecting data on test exams conducted at universities interested in standardizing exams that would allow for the comparison of test results. The present study is pilot and the study needs to be continued with reference to the organisation of test exams.

Key words: didactic measurement, nursing, basis of nursing, final exams, tests, standardization of exams.