PREDICTORS OF SUCCESS IN MASTER'S LEVEL NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS.
Contributors: Columbia University. Teachers College.
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 111
Subjects: Health Sciences, Education.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Higher.
Description: The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of success in master's level Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs. Success was defined as graduation from the program and grade point averages (GPA) in core courses and clinical major courses. Independent variables were undergraduate grade point average (UGPA), performance on either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogy Test (MAT), and personal characteristics.

This was a retrospective study employing both qualitative and quantitative methods and was conducted at the Columbia University School of Nursing in New York City. There were three components to data collection: an academic record review which included graduates (n = 179), current students (n = 184), and students who did not complete the program (n = 9); open-ended interviews with program directors (n = 4), program faculty (n = 4), and graduates (n = 5) to identify personal characteristics associated with success; and development and administration of a questionnaire designed to measure personal characteristics that was sent to all graduates. The response rate for the questionnaire was 66%. Data were analyzed using a variety of parametric and non-parametric procedures.

All null hypotheses were rejected in favor of the alternative hypotheses. UGPA was found to be a significant predictor for all three dependent variables. MAT score was a definitive predictor for success in core and clinical courses. The GRE was predictive for graduation and clinical GPA, but not for core GPA. The only personal characteristic found to be significantly associated with success was ethnicity. Ethnicity was also associated with UGPA, MAT and GRE.

Although UGPA, MAT, GRE and ethnicity were all found to be predictive of success in master's level NP programs, the strength of their predictability varies and is consistent with a "weighted" criteria selection process. UGPA was the strongest predictor and MAT score was a stronger predictor than GRE score. The findings with regard to ethnicity are consistent with findings in numerous other studies. However, the reasons for the differences between minority and white students in this study are not readily apparent, and further investigation is warranted.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-07, Section: B, page: 4280.

Thesis (ED.D.)--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE, 1996.

School code: 0055.