Date of Conferral

6-17-2024

Date of Award

June 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Nursing

Advisor

Leslie Hussey

Abstract

Math, reading, and vocabulary comprehension are important skills needed to ensure nursing students have a solid foundation on which to develop critical thinking skills to complete a nursing program. One of the common preadmission standardized tests is the Health Education Systems Incorporated Admission Assessment (HESI A2), but little research had been conducted to determine whether there is a correlation between the score on the HESI A2 and readiness to master nursing courses at the bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) level and completion of the BSN program. The purposes of this quantitative retrospective study, guided by Jeffreys’s nursing undergraduate retention and success model, were to determine whether there is (a) a relationship between HESI A2 scores of math, reading, and vocabulary scores and completion of the BSN program and (b) a relationship among the math, reading, and vocabulary scores of the HESI A2 and completion of the BSN program in nursing students when the HESI A2 entrance exam is repeated. In a convenience sample of 513 BSN students, binary logistic regression revealed those with higher math scores remained to finish the RN-BSN program (p = .02), and students who took the HESI A2 more than once did not have a higher incidence of completing the RN-BSN program as compared to students who took the HESI A2 only once (p = .74). Future research should focus on the current admission criteria used for the BSN program, and whether that criteria will help with retention of nursing students, thereby providing needed nurses throughout the United States, which may affect positive social change.

Included in

Nursing Commons

Share

 
COinS