Academic and Nursing Aptitude and the NCLEX-RN in Baccalaureate Programs

Accurately predicting NCLEX-RN(R) success has a positive impact on all nursing education stakeholders. This study focused on the ability to predict NCLEX-RN pass rates on the basis of prenursing academic aptitude variables and the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) nursing aptitude program. The ATI predictors were the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and five ATI subject tests: Fundamentals, Medical Surgical, Nursing Care of Children, Mental Health, and Maternal Newborn. The prenursing variables comprised the prenursing grade point average, a prerequisite communication course, and the ATI TEAS composite subscores of TEAS Reading, TEAS Math, TEAS Science, and TEAS English. This study included participants from four baccalaureate nursing programs in the California State University system. Results of canonical correlation, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression revealed a significant correlation among prenursing, ATI scores, and NCLEXRN first-try pass rates. Prediction of NCLEX-RN success rate using standardized testing data was supported, with the strongest predictors being the ATI Medical Surgical and ATI Mental Health tests.