Institutional competency assessment and other factors influencing the nurse licensure examination

Abstract

The passing rate in the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) is considered a key indicator of the quality of the nursing program. While a plethora of studies has identified the factors affecting NLE success, no study has tried to explore the role of an institutional standardized competency examination on NLE. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of institutional terminal competency assessment (TCA) and other factors on the NLE performance of nursing graduates. This study used a descriptive-correlational research design using data sets of nursing graduates of West Visayas State University from 2015 to 2017 (N=354). Pearson’s r set at .05 alpha level was used in the inferential analysis. Results indicated that TCA was significantly related to NLE performance. Other factors such as High School Grade General Average, College Grade General Weighted Average and scores in College Admission Test, Nursing Aptitude Test, and Pre-board Examination were significantly correlated with NLE rating. Aside from the known factors in the literature, nursing schools may also benefit from developing and conducting an institutional standardized competency assessment administered at the end of the nursing program to aid in assessing students’ likelihood of success in the NLE.