Using Biodata as a Predictor of Errors, Tardiness, Policy Violations, Overall Job Performance, and Turnover Among Nurses

The current study examined the use of biographical data to predict errors, tardiness, policy violations, overall job performance, and turnover among nurses. The results of the study indicate that biodata measures are valid selection devices for nurses and effective at predicting nurse errors, tardiness, policy violations, and overall job performance, but the instrument was not an effective predictor of turnover, voluntary or involuntary. Additionally, examination of group differences revealed that White subjects scored significantly higher on the biodata instrument compared to Black subjects but produced group differences considerably smaller than typically found with measures of cognitive ability. Future research directions and implications for practice are discussed