Academic and licensure examination performances of BSN graduates: Bases for curriculum enhancement

Abstract

This study involved the correlation of academic performance and licensure examination results which were used as bases for curriculum enhancement. A descriptive-correlational design was used to describe the academic performances, licensure examination, changes and perception of faculty in the curriculum and relationship of the academic and Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) performances. Nursing graduates and faculty from the College of Nursing from chosen nursing schools were the respondents of the study. Mean and standard deviations were used to describe the academic performances and perceptions of faculty in the changes of the curriculum while Pearson’s correlation was used in determining the relationship between academic and NLE performance in each of the 5 subjects. The results showed that academic performances are satisfactory in Nursing Care Management, Community Health Development and Research subjects. Nursing Licensure performances are also satisfactory however, graduates have difficulty passing examinations with Medical, Surgical and Psychiatry Nursing concepts. The academic performances in nursing professional subjects are related to nursing licensure performance. The changes in the curriculum brought additional subjects contents, units, hours and placement in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum. Curriculum enhancement is necessary to improve academic and NLE performance of nursing graduates.

Keywords:

Curriculum, curriculum change, development, enhancement, nursing care management