Cognitive Factors Related to Success of Generic Associate Degree Nursing Graduates From One Program on NCLEX-RN

A study of 52 generic graduates of an associate degree nursing program was conducted to identify cognitive factors that predict success on NCLEX-RN. The subjects completed all of the nursing courses with no interruption and graduated between 1988 and 1991. They wrote NCLEX-RN within two months of program completion. Factors analyzed included the pre-entrance, nursing, natural science, and exit grade point averages (GPA), the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and two NLN Achievement Tests. Statistical analysis showed significant positive correlations (p \u3c 0.05) of the NLN Achievement Tests, the nursing GPAs, the natural science GPA, and the exit GPA with NCLEX-RN success on first attempt. The strongest correlations were the Nursing Care of Adults Part II NLN Test (r = 0.453), the level II nursing GPA (r = 0.451), and the natural science GPA (r = 0.431). There was no significant relationship between the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and NCLEX-RN performance. There was little correlation of the entrance GPA with NCLEX-RN performance