Date of Award
2-1-1990
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Abstract
The continuing decline in the number of applicants to nursing programs combined with the need to ensure that graduates are competent has made essential the development of reliable predictors that more fully assess the potential of all individuals in the restricted applicant pool. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine which admission and continuation criteria used by Broward Community College's (BCC) Nursing Program could be used as predictors for completion of the program and (2) to determine those students who are at-risk of not completing the nursing program. The independent variables for the study were five admission and six continuation criteria used by the nursing department. The dependent variables were completion and noncompletion of the nursing program. The research questions addressed in the study asked the following: "Was there a significant difference at the 0.005 level between nursing program completors and noncompletors (1) cumulative grade point average (GPA) prior to enrolling in the first nursing course; (2) prerequisite mathematics scores; ( 3) prerequisite reading scores; ( 4) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology I lecture; (5) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology I laboratory; (6) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology II lecture; (7) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology II laboratory; (8) number of non-nursing credits needed for the ADN degree upon admission into nursing; (9) number of credits attempted in the first semester of nursing; (10) grade achieved in the first nursing lecture course (NUR1021); (11) cumulative GPA after completing the first semester of nursing?" The population for this study included all of the nursing students enrolled in the first nursing course on the Central Campus site of BCC during the 1983-84, 1984-85, and 1985-86 academic year. Data. were obtained from official transcripts, grade sheets, admission applications, and nursing records. Each student was assigned a number from one to 296. Using spreadsheets, data on the variables pertinent to each student were recorded. There are two stages of statistical analysis of the data: Discriminant functions and t tests. The discriminant function method used a stepwise method with WILKS statistic by SPSS-X. Discriminant analyses determined those variables that predicted completion/noncompletion of the nursing program. Means, standard deviations, and t tests were then determined. The t test scores determined statistical significance and allowed the comparison of each variable, one at a time. Using discriminant analyses the following results were obtained for each category of variables. Three admission variables predicted program completion: grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology I, grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology I laboratory, and the cumulative GPA upon admission into the nursing program. Three continuation variables predicted program completion: grade in NUR1021, grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology II laboratory, and non-nursing credits remaining for the associate degree in nursing (ADN) upon admission into NUR1021. Three combined variables predicted program completion: (1) the grade in NUR1021, (2) non-nursing credits remaining from the AON degree upon admission into NUR1021, and (3) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology laboratory. The results of analyses using t tests yielded eight variables that were significant at least at the 0.005 level: (1) cumulative GPA prior to enrolling in NUR1021, (2) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology I lecture, ( 3) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology I laboratory, (4) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology II lecture, (5) grade in Human Anatomy and Physiology II laboratory, ( 6) number of non-nursing credits needed for the ADN degree upon admission into nursing, (7) cumulative GPA after completing NUR1021 and (8) the grade in NUR1021. Based on the results of this major applied research project the recommendations are as follows: 1. Disseminate the profile generated oy this study to interested prospective candidates, the institutional recruiting staff, admission counselors, and faculty. 2. Discontinue two prerequisites: the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, Form C (1973) and the mathematics test designed by the nursing faculty as they do not appear to contribute to program completion. 3. Develop a potential risk profile. Student progress could be tracked throughout nursing with special attention given to providing guidance prior to crucial transitions. 4. Conduct further analyses of the contributions of the humanities, and the biological, physical, and social sciences to predicting completion/noncompletion of the nursing program. 5. Conduct another study which might include additional data such as: demographics, personal/personality characteristics, sociological data, grade-related and nongrade-related scholastic performance.