Predictors of students' success in community college nursing programs

Many conceptual models have been applied in the investigation of college retention of nursing students. We tested a model that specifies four general constructs as predictors of student success in nursing education-dispositional factors, career value factors, situational factors, and institutional factors. The purpose of this article is to describe predictors of nursing students' success, specifically: (a) What factors predict success of nursing students graduating from community colleges in California? and (b) What factors predict success of nursing students graduating on time from community colleges in California? The study design was correlational and descriptive in nature, with a convenience sample of six intervention colleges and six matched-pair control colleges. Results of the logistic regressions indicated on-time and any-time graduations were predicted by higher grade point averages in prenursing and science. Higher prenursing grades are positive predictors of graduation; improvements in performance prior to commencing nursing education should improve student success.