A closer look at academic probation and attrition: what courses are predictive of nursing student success?

The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify undergraduate courses that serve as predictors of success for nursing students completing a BSN program. The sample included records of 327 students placed on probation or dismissed from a Midwest school of nursing between 2002 and 2010. Though previous research has shown that science courses can be used as predictors of nursing student success, our results suggest that non-science courses can serve in this capacity as well. In particular, an across-the-life-span fundamental psychology course was found to be an important predictor in determining whether or not probationary students eventually completed the program. These results suggest that nursing programs need to evaluate their programs not only reviewing students success in nursing courses but also in prerequisites beyond just science courses such as chemistry and biology.