Student nurse selection and predictability of academic success: The Multiple Mini Interview project

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical School Admissions
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Universities face pressure to select nursing candidates demonstrating academic potential and core values like compassion and integrity.
• The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) assesses numeracy, literacy, communication, empathy, decision-making, problem-solving, ethical insights, integrity, initiative, and teamwork skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate potential bias (gender, age, nationality, location) in Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI).
• To determine the predictive validity of the MMI for academic success in undergraduate nursing programs.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal retrospective analysis of student demographics, MMI data, and academic assessment marks (Years 1-3).
• Study conducted at a single university in southwest London with a cohort commencing in September 2011 across all nursing fields.
• Inferential statistics and a Bayesian Multilevel Model were employed for analysis.

Main Results:

• The MMI, combined with numeracy and literacy tests, demonstrated minimal to no bias regarding age, gender, nationality, or secondary school location.
• While the MMI, alongside literacy and numeracy testing, is predictive of academic success, its predictive power is weak.

Conclusions:

• The MMI, with literacy and numeracy testing, is a viable method for selecting nursing candidates.
• Incorporating additional selection methods like psychological profiling or emotional intelligence testing could enhance the prediction of academic success in nursing programs.