Correlation of selected variables to success in a nursing course

Nursing programs in the United States are not able to accept all qualified applicants. Because of a severe shortage of nurses, it is critical that schools of nursing accept the candidates most likely to be successful. This book reflects a study with two hundred and fifty subjects from eight different associate degree nursing programs located across the state of Oklahoma. The study explored the relationship between the individual independent variables of academic self-efficacy, prior academic success, demographic variables; and the dependent variable of success in a first semester associate degree-nursing course. Analysis of data was completed using the Pearson correlational statistic, followed by linear regression techniques. Variables that were statistically significant in predicting continuation to the second nursing course included the ACT composite score and total self-efficacy score. These variables accounted for only 8.6 of the variance in continuation status. Variables that were statistically significant in predicting course grade included the ACT composite and age. These variables accounted for only 9.1% of the variance in course grade.