Philippine E-Journals

Correlation Analysis of Performance in College Admission Test, Nursing Aptitude Test, General Weighted Average and Nurse Licensure Examination of Nursing Graduates

Rosalinda P. Salustiano

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

From admission to a college of nursing up to graduation there should be continuity in the academic services rendered by the school to the students in order for them to realize the expected outcomes of nursing education. Liwanag (2009) posits that teaching and learning rest on basic principles of continuity and interactions where continuity is the cumulative enlarging store of ideas which the leaner needs to attain as instrument for constructing experience and for acquiring as many ideas from his unfolding experience and actual practice. For the first screening of applicants for college admission, high school graduates are assessed for their percentile ranking in the College Admission Test (CAT) to determine which among the thousands of applicants would be accepted to the Institute of Nursing. Obtaining a passing score in the CAT does not guarantee a bachelor‘s degree as there are still other screening tests to be hurdled. After finishing the first level of nursing education, students have to apply for, take and pass the Nursing Aptitude Test (NAT) and the admission interview before they are accepted to the second level. Throughout the four levels of undergraduate nursing education leading to the degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), the students have to be screened to determine if they can be promoted to the next level, and the most important parameter for promotion is the students‘ grades, the general weighted average (GWA).  Every Higher Education Institution (HEI) that offer nursing program must meet the requirements of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) 19 Memorandum Order No. 18, Series of 2011 calling for strict implementation of the provisions of CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 14, Series of 2009. It requires the HEI to obtain a passing rating in the Nurse Licensure examination (NLE) of not lower than 30% for its first takers in three consecutive years otherwise face the consequence of involuntary phase out for the nursing program (CMO 18, s. 2011). It is therefore imperative that nursing students receive quality education that will in turn positively affect the graduates‘ performance in the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE). There is a compelling need to assess the various factors that may influence board examination outcomes of nursing graduates. Are passing scores in entrance examination and standardized tests such as the Nursing Aptitude Test (NAT) and the final general weighted average (GWA) enough to predict ultimate passing score in the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE)? The researcher felt the need to analyze the performance of nursing graduates in the College Admission Test (CAT), Nursing Aptitude Test (NAT), General Weighted Average (GWA) and the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) in order to identify if any significant relationship exists between and among these success indicators.