Academic and Demographic Predictors of NCLEX-RN Pass Rates in First- and Second-Degree Accelerated BSN Programs

• Published in: Journal of professional nursing Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 229 - 240
• Main Authors: Kaddoura, Mahmoud A., Flint, Elizabeth P., Van Dyke, Olga, Yang, Qing, Chiang, Li-Chi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Baccalaureate; Curriculum; Demography; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; Educational Measurement - standards; HESI exit exam; Humans; Licensure - standards; Low course grades; NCLEX-RN; Nursing; Nursing education; Predictor variables; Retrospective Studies; School Admission Criteria; Students, Nursing - psychology; Nursing education; Low course grades; Predictor variables; HESI exit exam; Baccalaureate; NCLEX-RN
• ISSN: 8755-7223; 1532-8481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2016.09.005

Relatively few studies have addressed predictors of first-attempt outcomes (pass-fail) on the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for accelerated BSN programs. The purpose of this study was to compare potential predictors of NCLEX outcomes in graduates of first-degree accelerated (FDA; n=62) and second-degree accelerated (SDA; n=173) BSN programs sharing a common nursing curriculum. In this retrospective study, bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regression assessed significance of selected demographic and academic characteristics as predictors of NCLEX-RN outcomes. FDA graduates were more likely than SDA graduates to fail the NCLEX-RN (P=.0013). FDA graduates were more likely to speak English as a second or additional language (P<.0001), have lower end-of-program GPA and HESI Exit Exam scores (both P<.0001), and have a higher proportions of grades ≤ C (P=.0023). All four variables were significant predictors of NCLEX-RN outcomes within both FDA and SDA programs. The only significant predictors in adjusted logistic regression of NCLEX-RN outcome for the pooled FDA+SDA graduate sample were proportion of grades ≤ C (a predictor of NCLEX-RN failure) and HESI Exit Exam score (a predictor of passing NCLEX-RN). Grades of C or lower on any course may indicate inadequate mastery of critical NCLEX-RN content and increased risk of NCLEX-RN failure. •NCLEX-RN predictors were similar for 1st and 2nd-degree accelerated BSN programs.•Graduates with higher proportions of grades ≤ C were less likely to pass NCLEX-RN.•Graduates with higher HESI Exit Exam scores were more likely to pass NCLEX-RN.