[The assessment of newly qualified nurses in competitive exams for hospital employment: a descriptive study].

In the public sector the selection of the health personnel is based on qualifications and exams with a written, an oral and practical test, on contents selected by the committee. The level of complexity and contents of the tests is very variable across committees.To analyze the tests for the selection of nurses, the level of complexity and contents assessed.A sample of tests was analysed and for each item, the cognitive level tested, according to Bloom's taxonomy, areas and health problems investigated.One-hundred-twenty-eight selection tests of 14 hospitals and districts were analysed. Open questions are used in the majority of tests to assess mainly knowledge and not complex cognitive functions or problem solving skills. The contents vary widely and are not focused on priority health problems. Questions on prevention, health education and symptoms monitoring are missing.Written, oral and practical tests focus on the same contents and test mainly knowledge.