Predicting Student Persistence and Performance in the First Year of a Tertiary Nursing Programme: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

A clearer understanding of factors believed to contribute to the persistence and performance of tertiary nursing students, may enable nurse academics to define the limits to which they can manipulate entry standards, while maintaining student numbers and desired course outcomes. To this end, an adapted version of Tinto's (1975) descriptive model of dropout was used to design an ex post facto study; into the effects of selected variables, on academic performance and persistence in the first year of study. At the 0.05 cut off limit, the best predictors of higher academic performance and persistence full‐time in nursing were respectively; the tertiary entrance score (TES) and the aspiration to complete a baccalaureate rather than a higher degree in nursing. When the limit was relaxed to 10%, the TES together with lower socio‐economic background and course completion for self‐development rather than a professional qualification best predicted higher academic performance. Full‐time persistence was best predicted by; Australian birth, lower socio‐economic background, English not the first language of one or more family members, attendance at an independent school, “other than nursing” work experience, aspiration to no higher than a baccalaureate degree, helpfulness of love and affection from mother and information from peers, comfort with academic staff and finding staff easy to approach.