Type of Document	Thesis
Author	Lytle, Carolyn
Author's Email Address	cp04@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
URN	etd-08132007-110233
Title	Admission Criteria as Predictors of NCLEX-RN Success in Associate Degree Nursing Graduates
Degree	Master of Science
Department	Nursing, School of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Dianne Speake Committee Chair Deborah Frank Committee Member Mary Beth Zeni Committee Member
Keywords	Nursing Education Nursing Shortage Nurse Entrance Test Benner
Date of Defense	2007-07-25
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract The current shortage of registered nurses in the United States has been well documented. It is a complex problem with no easy or short-term solutions. In fact, the problem is projected to worsen over the next ten to twenty years as the population ages, requiring more nursing care, and as nurses in the workforce age and retire. To become registered nurses, students must successfully complete a Diploma, Associate Degree or Baccalaureate Degree program of study. After graduation from the nursing program, the students must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in order to enter the workforce as Registered Nurses. Schools that prepare students to become registered nurses face a multitude of challenges as they work to fill the need for more nurses. Nursing faculty are currently in short supply and the problem will continue, since the majority of current nursing faculty are nearing retirement age. Classroom and clinical space are also in short supply as nursing programs increase enrollment in an attempt to stem the tide of the growing shortage. It is imperative that nursing programs utilize precious resources to the best advantage of the schools, the students and the communities they serve. The first step in ensuring that the majority of nursing students eventually enter the workforce as Registered Nurses is the admission process. This retrospective study examined the admission criteria of an Associate Degree Nursing Program in the Southeastern United States to determine if admission factors for students who were successful on the NCLEX-RN examination differed from admission factors for students who were not successful. Two graduating classes (n = 77) were available for this study. Findings from this study indicated that students with higher reading scores on a standardized nurse entrance examination were more likely to pass the NCLEX-RN. Students with a score of 70.8% and higher had a 68% chance of passing the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt as compared with a 32% pass rate for students with a score of 63.4% or lower on the reading portion of the nurse entrance examination. In addition to the reading scores, the number of attempts at prerequisite courses affected student NCLEX-RN success. Eighty percent of students who passed all prerequisite courses with no repeat attempts passed the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt. With one repeat on any of the nine required courses the rate of passing fell to 58%. This study indicated that admission factors may contribute to NCLEX-RN success after graduation from a nursing education program. Because of the relatively small sample size and the use of a single ADN program, further research is warranted to determine if the results can be replicated and if these findings will generalize to other nursing programs.
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