The role of academic variables as predictors of success or failure in a diploma nursing program
Loading...
Links to Files
Permanent Link
Collections
Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
1995
Department
Nursing
Program
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify those
academic variables which were the best predictors of success
or failure in a diploma nursing program located on the rural
Eastern Shore of Maryland. Data were collected
retrospectively from the records of 87 graduates who were
classified as members of the Classes of 1990, 1991, 1992,
1993 and 1994. Selected variables were categorized into
preadmission criteria (SAT scores and scores of The
Psychological Corporation RN Entrance Examination for
Schools of Nursing), grades in 8 college prerequisite
courses, college GPA, final grades from 6 nursing courses,
and total scores from National League of Nursing Achievement
tests in Psychiatric Nursing and Maternity-Child Nursing. The cumulative GPA in nursing and NLN Comprehensive test
scores, were used to define success in the nursing program.
Pearson's Correlation and stepwise multiple regression
analyses were used to determine the amount of variation
explained by the independent variables and the two success
variables. Analysis of preadmission scores indicated the
usefulness of the RNEE test in this program for identifying
applicants who may experience success or failure in the
nursing program. significant positive correlations between
Anatomy and Physiology I and II, General Psychology, Basic
Concepts of Nursing II, Family Centered Nursing, Adult Health Nursing I and the Maternal Child Health Achievement
test and the success variables were found. The Family
Centered Nursing course was the best predictor of Nursing
Cumulative GPA and the NLN Maternal Child Health Achievement
test of the NLN Comprehensive Exam.
The results of this study indicate that at admission
and throughout the program, some readily obtainable data are
significant predictors of the student's performance. For a
school to minimize attrition, it is necessary to identify
high risk students early in a program, in order to initiate
interventions to promote success in the nursing program.