Identifying at-risk nursing students using a midcurricular examination.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Educational Assessment
• Student Success

Background:

• Early identification of at-risk nursing students is crucial for academic success.
• The Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) examination is a standardized test used in nursing programs.
• Predictive validity of mid-program assessments for licensure examination outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of the midcurricular HESI examination in predicting nursing student success.
• To determine if the midcurricular HESI can identify students at risk for failing the NCLEX-RN.
• To assess the relationship between midcurricular HESI scores and subsequent HESI E(2) and NCLEX-RN outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental design with 256 baccalaureate nursing graduates from two southeastern US universities.
• Logistic regression and multiple linear regression analyses were employed.
• Controlled for demographic and institutional covariates to assess predictive accuracy.

Main Results:

• The midcurricular HESI examination significantly predicted NCLEX-RN success (P = .044) and (P = .041) after covariate adjustment.
• A strong statistically significant relationship was found between midcurricular HESI and HESI E(2) scores (P < .001).
• Students who passed the NCLEX-RN had significantly higher scores on both midcurricular HESI (P < .043) and HESI E(2) (P < .016) examinations.

Conclusions:

• The midcurricular HESI examination is a valuable tool for predicting outcomes in baccalaureate nursing programs.
• This assessment can assist educators in identifying students needing additional support for NCLEX-RN success.
• Results support the use of mid-program HESI assessments for proactive student intervention strategies.