NHA Proctor Process Guide

NHA Proctor

Process Guide

All Institution Proctored Online

Assessments

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STEP ONE: Before Exam Day

Check NHA Exam Roster:

• Verify NHA Exam Roster to ensure that all expected candidates’ names are on the roster.

• If a candidate’s name is not on the roster, their registration was not received by NHA,

and they are not eligible to test.

o Note: It may be helpful to print the roster for reference on exam day.

• View “Upcoming Exams” to ensure exam status is set to “Sent”

• Contact NHA with any registration or exam discrepancies prior to exam day.

Check Computers:

• Refer to the Technical Requirements in the Help Center at www.nhanow.com to ensure

that all computers including the proctor station computer meet the minimum

requirements for online testing, including preferred web browsers.

• Verify that pop-up blockers are turned off on all computers to be used for testing.

• For more on best practices during an exam and exam room setup requirements, review

the Proctor Handbook.

STEP TWO: Day of the Exam - Candidate Check-In

Verify Exam Roster and Identification:

• Verify that all candidates present are eligible to take the exam.

• The roster must be verified for both candidate name and exam type.

• Proper identification must be provided at the time of the exam.

o IDs must be government-issued with a current photograph, candidate’s

signature, and permanent address.

Assign Scratch Paper:

• Every candidate is allowed two (2) sheets of scratch paper.

• For auditing purposes, hand out numbered sheets of paper in an order corresponding

to the roster.

• The first name on the sheet will have scratch papers #1 and #2; the second name will

have #3 and #4, continuing through the last candidate.

• When the exam is complete, verify that all scratch paper is returned.

• If any sheets are missing, refer to the roster to see which student did not return his or

her scratch paper and secure missing scratch paper immediately. If this paper cannot

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be secured, this is an incident that must be reported using the Incident Form found in

the Forms section of the Help Center.

Reminders about Personal Items:

• All personal items must be stored out of reach.

o This includes coats, hats, cell phones, purses, and sunglasses as examples.

o Discretionary allowances may be made for religious apparel.

• Candidates are not allowed to bring any additional materials into the testing area.

• No textbooks, reference books or electronics of any kind are allowed.

*Subject to change for the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) Exam Fall

of 2021

• Food or drink is prohibited unless predetermined as medically necessary.

• Candidates may bring two (2) #2 pencils.

Announcements:

• Advise candidates to use the restroom prior to the start of the exam.

• Candidates may not leave the testing room without proctor approval.

• Restroom breaks are permitted; however, candidates will not be allowed to make up

the time missed.

STEP THREE: Starting the Exam

Read the Proctor Script:

• Refer to the proctor script at the end of this guide.

• Read the greeting, copyright information, and instruction sections aloud to the

examinees.

• The number of scored questions and pretest questions, as well as the length of time a

candidate has to complete an exam is available on our website, www.nhanow.com.

• To review the number of questions and the time limit for the exam, the candidate should

select the specific exam from the “Get Certified” option on the websites home page and

downloading the free exam test plan at the bottom.

• The number of exam questions and the time limit for that exam can be found under Test

Plans by Profession.

• Log into the exam and have the test ready to review prior to instructing candidates to

STEP FOUR: During the Exam

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Maintain Physical Presence:

• Actively monitor testing room at all times while the candidates are taking the NHA exam.

• It may be beneficial to move about the room during testing.

• Monitoring candidates from the back of the testing room can provide a good point of

view for observing student activity.

Communication inside the Testing Room

• No communication is permitted among candidates while taking the exam.

• Candidates are expected to work independently.

• As the proctor, you may not answer any questions concerning the content of the exam.

Restroom Breaks & Leaving the Testing Area:

• A candidate may be granted permission to use the restroom during the exam.

• Time missed during the exam for a restroom break is lost and cannot be made up.

• If there is only one proctor available, only one candidate may use the restroom at a time.

• If more than one proctor is available, a second proctor may escort multiple candidates

to the restroom at the same time during the exam.

• Proctor should monitor the length of any unscheduled bathroom break and watch for

suspicious behavior.

• If a candidate leaves during testing, ALL testing materials should be turned into the

proctor.

• Candidates may not take exam materials or any personal belongings outside of the room

during an unscheduled break.

Check Proctor Station for Suspicious Activity:

• While monitoring the room for suspicious behavior, remember to check the proctor

station for any notifications of candidates who may have triggered a cheat event.

• If a candidate attempts a cheat event, both the candidate and proctor will receive a

warning notification.

• The candidate may continue testing without any proctor intervention for the first (3)

three occurrences of cheat events. .

• Each time the candidate is flagged for any cheating event seen in the “Needs Attention”

section, investigate the candidate’s activity and inquire about their reason for taking

the stated action.

• After a candidate has logged a total of (4) four incidents, the system will stop the

assessment and the candidate will receive the message, “” ”Your proctor has been

notified and will stop your test”with a button to click to “.” “Stop Assessment”

• After investigating why the incidents have occurred, the proctor may allow the

candidate to resume testing if it has been determined that the incidents were not

intentional or related to misconduct.

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• To allow the candidate to resume testing, the proctor should instruct the candidate to

log into their account in the same way they did when they initially started the

assessment.

• After the candidate agrees to the attestation again, the proctor can allow the candidate

to resume testing by clicking the radial button next to ‘Resume’.

STEP FIVE: After the Exam

As Candidates Finish the Exam:

• If it does not conflict with an institution’s exam policy or procedure, when candidates

complete the exam early, they may be excused from the exam room if they can do so

without disturbing other candidates.

o If a candidate finishes early the proctor can determine approval to be dismissed.

The candidate is suggested to raise their hand, return any/all scratch paper, and

exit the room without disturbing the other candidates.

o This is true in all instances except during the last ten (10) minutes of the exam

period. Candidates who finish within this time period should wait until the exam

time has expired to be excused.

• Once a candidate completes the exam and exits the exam room, he/she may not re-

enter the exam room until all candidates have completed the exam. Candidates may not

leave the room once testing begins except for emergencies.

Report any Irregularities from this Exam Administration:

• Any deviations or irregularities in the exam administration should be reported to

NHA through the Incident Form found in the Forms section of NHA’s Help Center.

o A printable version of this form and where to send it is available at the end of

this document if necessary.

• A test irregularity could be, but is not limited to the following:

o Any incident resulting in candidates being unsupervised with exam materials.

o Suspected misconduct.

o Illness or medical emergencies during exam.

o Any alert requiring evacuation during exam administration (fire, weather

related, security related, etc.).

o Any disruptive behavior by a candidate (excessing coughing, etc.).

o Problems with room temperature, excess heat or extreme cool.

o Any candidate who finishes an exam in an unusually short amount of time.

Assessment Results:

Examinees with passing results can download and print their certification confirmation

through their NHA account in their My Achievements link. One complimentary printed copy

of their certification ID card and certificate can be requested in this field and if requested

will arrive approximately ten (10) business days after the request was received by NHA.

Results are posted within the candidate’s account on NHA’s website,

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www.nhanow.comhttp://www.nhanow.com/ as well as in the Results portion of the

Administrative Login for the Institution.

Candidates that did not pass the exam may also view their score report via their account. If a

candidate would like to retake the exam, they may apply and retake after thirty (30) days for

the first three (3) attempts. After a third non-passing attempt, candidates must wait one (1)

year before challenging the exam again. For more questions, please see the NHA Candidate

Handbook.

Proctor Scripts

Read aloud the information below for the following:

Before Approving the Exam:

Good morning/afternoon. The exam you are about to participate in is a timed

exam which has minutes to complete questions. If you need to use the

restroom, you should do so now. If you must use the restroom during the exam, please

raise your hand for permission to leave. Please note that you will not be permitted to

makeup the time missed and that you may not remove your personal belongings from

this room during breaks.

We will begin the exam momentarily. If you need to use the restroom, please do so now.

Signing Roster Sheet:

At this time, each of you must sign the exam sign-in/roster sheet.

Putting Away Materials:

*Alternative wording for Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) Exam only available Fall 2021

Textbooks, notes and all other reference materials, as well as calculators and personal

electronic devices are prohibited during the exam. Please put away all reference

materials. Cell phones and other electronic devices should be turned off or silenced and

put away at this time.

Test Misconduct:

Before beginning this exam, it is important to note that test misconduct is taken

seriously. You may be disqualified from taking or continuing in the examination process,

or from receiving exam results, if NHA and/or any proctors, including myself, have

determined through either proctor observation or statistical analyses that you were

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engaged in collaborative, disruptive or other unacceptable behavior before, during, or

following the administration of the exam.

Any attempt to cheat, remove questions from this room, or act in other academically

dishonest ways will result in an incident report being sent to NHA and subsequent

investigations being conducted.

Confidentially Statement & Copyright Information:

The next statement is Assessment Technologies Institute’s Confidentiality and

of NHA.

All assessment questions are the copyrighted property of Assessment Technologies

Institute®, LLC. Removing or attempting to remove, record or otherwise retain questions

or other assessment material from the test site is prohibited. It is forbidden under federal

questions by any means, in whole or in part. This includes memorizing questions and

options and discussing these questions before, during or after an ATI or NHA

assessment. A violation of this type can result in civil and criminal penalties.

ATI has and will continue to bring legal action against infringers, which can include

criminal prosecution and arrest of students involved in this illegal activity. In addition,

ATI may subpoena records of purchasers, so students who buy illegally obtained ATI or

NHA tests also may be involved in legal proceedings, which may result in notice to the

school, disciplinary measures, and could impact a student’s education and or licensure.

Students should not participate in any way in this illegal activity.

1) Hereby swear that the valid current photo identification presented was a true

representation of your identity;

2) Have met the eligibility requirements needed to sit for this exam; and

3) Understand the confidentiality statement and copyright information and agree to

keep all contents of this assessment confidential.

Beginning the Exam:

*Note: Prior to the next section, be sure you are still logged into your Proctor account with NHA. The

exam sections will need to be active, agree to the Proctor Attestation. Candidate names should appear

on your screen as they follow the instructions below.

• At this time, log into your NHA account at www.nhanow.com on the computer

in front of you.

• Select the bar that says, “Click here to take your exam.”

• Read through your attestation for testing and if you agree, select “I Agree.”

• On the screen in front of you, you should see a set of instructions. Read the

instructions silently while I read them aloud:

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o Read the question and the options entirely before you answer. Unanswered

questions are scored as incorrect.

o You will not be allowed to communicate with your peers, other candidates,

or candidates from other programs in the testing center during the test.

o You are not allowed to smoke, eat, or drink while in the testing room.

o For security reasons, you will not be allowed to leave the testing room or

place or receive phone calls during the test.

o Beepers, cell phones, tablets, calculators, and other personal electronic

devices are prohibited from being in your possession during the test.

o If you have a question or a problem, raise your hand to alert the proctor.

o Each test is different, so your screen will be different than the person’s next

to you.

o The proctor(s) will not answer any questions concerning the content of the

exams or the meaning of any questions. The proctor(s) WILL assist you

with any technical questions about the computer or entering in the

information.

o Your answers are stored securely in a database and cannot be obtained by

any other candidate.

o After the test is completed, your answers will be scored immediately, and

you can view your results and print a hard copy.

o When you are ready to begin, click the “Start Test” button that appears

below after you have been approved by the Proctor.

o When you are finished with the test, click on “OK” to end the test.

o If scratch paper is allowed for your exam, you may only use the scratch

paper provided by the proctor and must return to the proctor before

leaving the room.

You are now ready to begin the test. You will have ___ hours to complete the _________

Test.

There is a timer on the test that will provide you with the amount of time remaining in

each section.

I will now approve each of you to begin the test. It may take a few minutes for your

screen to refresh after I have approved you. Do not click outside of the testing window

at any time. Doing so will stop the test.

If you encounter an issue with exam conditions, notify the proctor(s) immediately.

If you encounter issues with exam content, provide the proctor(s) with the question

number only – not any part of the question – along with your name and type of issue on

the scratch paper provided. Give to the proctor(s) at the end of the exam before leaving

the room.

You are now ready to begin the exam.

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Proctor Resources and Links

For more on best practices during an exam, review the Proctor Handbook

Technical Best Practices:

• For best practices on technical requirements, see NHA’s Help Center and the

Technical Requirements

• NHA recommends using wired network connections for proctored testing.

Wireless/Wi-fi connections may be unreliable and could negatively affect testing.

• Min resolution 1024 x 600.

• JavaScript and cookies must both be enabled within browser.

• Android's default browser is not supported; download chrome for a better experience.

• Allow *.nhanow.com through the browser pop-up blocker (note some browsers may

require user to enable tabbing.).

• Clear browsing history and exit the browser prior to any testing.

• Allow *.nhanow.com through all proxy/caching servers.

• Satellite ISPs: NHA’s website functionality depends on direct connections to our

website and databases in order to accurately display content. Because many ISPs

cache webpages rather than allowing connection to the originating website, we are

not able to guarantee performance of our website over a satellite connection.

• Run a network speed test at http://www.speedtest.net from the testing location to

ensure bandwidth is sufficient.

• Close all applications that could draw attention away from the testing window

(Antivirus scans, System Updates, etc.).

• NHA internally tests their products using JAWS and NVDA to promote WCAG 2.0

compliant operations for assistive reading.

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Report of Testing Irregularity

If possible and for the most efficient response time, please complete the online form found HERE

(Must be filed within 24 hours of test administration)

Proctor’s First and Last Name:

Institution Name:

School Street Address:

Daytime Phone Number:

Email Address:

Exam Name:

Exam Date:

Please provide a detailed description of the incident: (Attach pertinent documentation or

further description if necessary.)

If specific candidates were involved, please provide a list of the candidates’ First and Last

names and identification numbers (if available).

As the test Proctor for the exam described above, I believe I have witnessed a testing

irregularity during a test administration.

Signature of Test Proctor: _________________________________________ Date: _______________

(If Applicable)

Signature of Secondary Test Proctor: __________________________________Date: _______________

One copy of this form must be retained by the test Proctor. A copy should be emailed

immediately to National Healthcareer Association Test Administration at

testsecurity@nhanow.com. NHA will conduct an investigation of the irregularity and examine

any suspect exam results. If any irregularity has affected exam results, the school will be

notified by NHA. NHA has the right to declare exam results non-valid or take other action

deemed necessary by NHA to resolve the issue and/or prevent future incidents.