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In the past 30 years, the nursing Literature has devoted considerable attention to measuring the success on the National Council !¿censure Examination (NCLEX) or State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE) of associate, diploma, and baccalaureate nursing students. A 10-year integrative research review and meta-analysis revealed grade point averages (GPA) in nursing and science courses to be the strongest cognitive predictors, and parental education level and age the strongest demographic predictor of success in baccalaureate students (Campbell & Dickson, 1996). Achievement test scores, such as those published by the National League for Nursing, are known to be predictors of NCLEX-RN outcomes (Anderson, 1994; Melcomb, Venn, & Bausell, 1981; Neuman, 1993). However, students enrolled in practical nursing programs are different from the samples included in the studies of success on RN licensure examinations. Furthermore, the examinations themselves are designed to test different domains of practice. Yet, an extensive review of literature revealed no research on the predictors of success on the licensure examination for practical nurses.
The purpose of this study was to identify which variables accurately predict the success of practical nursing students on the NCLEX-PN. This information can be used to improve the admission process, and, ultimately, to assist those students at risk. Three categories of predictor variables were identified for inclusion in this study: demographic, academic and aptitude.
The aptitude variables included in the study were from the standardized preadmission PSB Aptitude for Practical Nursing Examination given to all applicants for the program. The PSB test battery includes five subcategories. The General Mental Ability (GMA) subscale measures the ability to learn and the potential for mastering the academic work necessary to complete an educational program leading to LPN licensure. The Spelling (SP) measures skills essential for written communication, while the Natural Science (NS) subscale tests content specific to life sciences, elementary physics and chemistry, and health (Evans, Yanuzzi & Stouffer, 1987). The Judgment in Practical Nursing Situations (JU) subscale "attempts to estimate the ability of the examinee to arrive at a wise decision . . . and exercise good sense in regard to practical affairs" (Evans, Yanuzzi & Stouffer, 1987, p. 9). The final subscale, Personal Adjustment Index (PAI), is designed to assess personality characteristics believed to be important for success in practical nursing....