title: Examining the Importance of Admissions Criteria in Predicting Nursing Program Success.
abstract: Baccalaureate nursing programs select students likely to graduate, become licensed, and contribute to a diverse workforce, and admissions criteria need to support those goals. This study assessed five criteria: pre-admit science GPA; TEAS score; healthcare experience; previous baccalaureate degree; and pre-admission university enrollment vs. college transfer as predictors of three desired outcomes: graduation; nursing program GPA; and passing NCLEX-RN. Results found TEAS and pre-admit science GPA predicted nursing program outcomes. Students with TEAS≥82 had 8 % greater probability of graduating, 13 % greater probability of a GPA≥3.25, and 9 % greater probability of passing NCLEX-RN, compared to students with TEAS < 82. Students with pre-admit science GPAs≥3.8 had 11 % greater probability of passing NCLEX-RN and 14 % greater probability of a GPA≥3.25 compared to students with pre-admit science GPAs < 3.8. Further discussions regarding factors important for training a diverse nursing workforce and effective ways to implement non-academic admission criteria are warranted.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wambuguh
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eckfield
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Hofwegen
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D012570:School Admission Criteria / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*