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Predictors of academic performance of nursing and paramedic students in first year bioscience
Whyte, Douglas G. Madigan, Veronica Drinkwater, Eric J.
Whyte, Douglas G.
Madigan, Veronica
Drinkwater, Eric J.
Abstract
The expanding <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/scope-of-practice" title="Learn more about Scope of Practice from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages">scope of practice of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/paramedic" title="Learn more about Paramedic from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages">paramedics and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/paramedical-personnel" title="Learn more about Paramedical Personnel from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages">nurses demands they possess a sophisticated knowledge of bioscience to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/tenidap" title="Learn more about Tenidap from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages">enable them to think critically and make rational clinical decisions. It is well documented that nursing students struggle with bioscience but there are no studies examining the performance of paramedic students in this crucial subject. In this study, we compared the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/academic-achievement" title="Learn more about Academic Achievement from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages">academic performance of first year nursing, paramedic and nursing/paramedic double degree students in a bioscience subject. Regression analyses were used to identify predictors of academic success. Data revealed a low success rate in bioscience for all three degree programs (63.2, 58.8, and 67.6% respectively) and a strong correlation between academic success in bioscience and non-bioscience subjects (r2 = 0.49). The best predictors of overall academic success were the University Admission Index score and mature entry into the course. Previous study of biology was associated with an increased bioscience and overall GPA but not with non-bioscience grades. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/discriminant-analysis" title="Learn more about Discriminant Analysis from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages">Discriminant analysis was used to develop a model that could predict overall academic success with an accuracy of 78.5%. These criteria may be useful during the admission process and for the early identification of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/at-risk-students" title="Learn more about At-Risk Students from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages">students at risk of failure.
Keywords
nursing education, paramedic education, bioscience, academic performance, discriminant analysis, multiple regression
Date
2011
Type
Journal article
Journal
Nurse Education Today
Book
Volume
31
Issue
8
Page Range
849-854
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled