Correlates of success in the baccalaureate education of registered nurses

The major purpose of this investigation was to identify correlates of success in a baccalaureate completion program to aid in the selection of registered nurses. The sample included 170 graduates from one baccalaureate program. Their ages ranged from 20 to 51; 79% graduated from a diploma program and 21% from a community college associate degree (AD) program. The predictors of achievement were () age, () diploma versus associate degree background, (c) work experience, (d) six validation examination scores, and (e) two entry grade point averages (GPAs) based on liberal arts and nursing subjects. respectively. The criteria of success were two exit GPAs from the baccalaureate program, based on liberal arts and nursing subjects. Comparison of mean scores and multiple regression analyses were used to relate predictors and criteria. The major conclusions are that () entry liberal arts GPA is the best predictor of achievement in this baccalaureate program, irrespective of how long ago it was obtained; () diploma school graduates perform better than junior college graduates in the classroom as well as in clinical practice; and (c) age is NOT a factor in performance in a baccalaureate completion program.