PREDICTING STUDENT SATISFACTION IN BACCALAUREATE NURSING PROGRAMS: TESTING A CAUSAL MODEL (NURSING STUDENTS).
Contributors: Claremont Graduate School.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 232
Subjects: Education, Higher.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Sociology of.
Description: Overall satisfaction is an important educational outcome for baccalaureate nursing students. The purpose of this study was to test a causal model for predicting the overall satisfaction of senior students with their nursing programs. The proposed model was primarily a sociological impact model based upon Tinto's (1975) student integration theory for predicting student departure, and Pascarella's (1985b) causal model for predicting student outcomes. As hypothesized, the students' integration into the academic and social systems of their nursing programs directly predicted overall satisfaction. College facilities and services, external influences, and student background/preenrollment characteristics were indirect predictors.

To test the model, a sample of 195 senior female students from five baccalaureate nursing programs in the southwestern United States was selected for step-wise regression studies and subsequent path analysis. The model was also tested on a sub-sample of 80 nontraditional women (aged 26 and older).

Academic and social integration explained 42% of the total variance for predicting overall satisfaction for the total sample and 44% for the nontraditional women. Two academic integration variables directly predicted overall satisfaction for both samples: i.e. student academic development and response, and student satisfaction with the faculty. In the measurement of social integration, social interaction with peers influenced overall satisfaction for the entire sample. Social interaction with faculty was predictive for the nontraditional students.

Satisfaction with facilities and services had the strongest indirect influence for the entire sample. Satisfaction with financial aid had the same for the nontraditional students. Only one variable measuring external influences proved indirectly predictive of overall satisfaction; i.e. encouragement from friends for the nontraditional students.

For the entire sample, six student background and pre- enrollment characteristics had a low indirect influence on overall satisfaction. Both lack of previous certification and previous GPA were positively predictive. Asian-American ethnicity, African-American or American-Indian ethnicity or international status, age, and previous RN certification were negatively predictive. One background characteristic had a low indirect positive effect on overall satisfaction for the nontraditional students; namely, previous certification as a nurse's aid or licensed vocational nurse.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-01, Section: A, page: 0053.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE CLAREMONT GRADUATE SCHOOL, 1994.

School code: 0047.