Date of Award

8-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Chair

Elizabeth Tinnon

Committee Chair School

Professional Nursing Practice

Committee Member 2

LaWanda Baskin

Committee Member 2 School

Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice

Committee Member 3

LynLee Morgan

Committee Member 3 School

Professional Nursing Practice

Committee Member 4

Mayantoinette Watson

Committee Member 4 School

Professional Nursing Practice

Abstract

The need for nurses is now greater than ever, with a projected shortage of nearly five million nurses by 2030. Several factors exist that hinder the number of practice-ready nurses, causing nursing programs worldwide to explore and re-examine admission practices and increase student retention rates. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2024) reported that over 100,000 students were denied enrollment in baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2024, indicating that maximizing admission processes is crucial in addressing the current nursing shortage. This emphasizes the need for greater participation to ensure that all students have access to the educational opportunities they deserve.

To address retention and attrition rates in nursing programs, schools must support student enrollment and retention. However, with budget constraints, providing proper resources for programs, addressing faculty burnout and shortages, and addressing student challenges have proven difficult for nursing programs. This study underscores the need for new admissions processes, as generic admission procedures, such as standardized nursing program admission exams, cumulative grade point averages (GPAs), and standard admission exams, like the American College Test (ACT), have not proven to be the best indicators of academic achievement in nursing programs. Examining the reasons that lead to program dismissal is necessary for nursing programs to understand the factors that affect attrition and retention within the nursing program.

This study examined cognitive factors that contribute to student achievement, as well as non-cognitive factors, which encompass personal and emotional reasons for not attaining academic achievement. This quantitative descriptive correlational analysis examined the correlation between cognitive and non-cognitive factors of two different cohorts of graduating senior nursing students. The purpose of the study was to investigate and identify the combination of predictors that best predict academic achievement in students completing an undergraduate nursing program at one public university in the Southeastern United States.

The findings of this study are significant as they offer valuable insights into the factors that influence student achievement in nursing programs. These findings can inform and improve admission and retention practices in nursing education, thereby contributing to ongoing efforts to address the global nursing shortage.

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