Early predictors of study success in a Dutch advanced nurse practitioner education program: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Study delay and attrition are major concerns in higher education. They cost time and effort, and threaten the availability of higher qualified professionals. Knowing early what factors contribute to delay and attrition may help prevent this.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine whether student characteristics, including a literature study report grade as a proxy of cognitive abilities, predicted study success in a dual advanced nurse practitioner education program.

METHODS: Retrospective cohort study, including all 214 students who between September 2009 and September 2015 started the two-year program at the HAN University of Applied Sciences in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Study success was defined as having completed the program within the envisaged period. Variables examined included: age, gender, previous education (bachelor's degree or in-service training in nursing), work setting (general health, mental health, public health, or nursing home care), and literature study report grade (from 1 to 10). A hierarchical logistic regression analysis was performed.

RESULTS: Most students were female (80%), had a bachelor's degree in nursing (67%), and were employed in a general healthcare setting (58%). Mean age was 40.5years (SD 9.4). One hundred thirty-seven students (64%) had study success. Being employed in a general healthcare setting (p≤0.004) and a higher literature study report grade (p=0.001) were associated with a higher study success rate.

CONCLUSION: In advanced nurse practitioner education, study success rate seems associated with the student's cognitive abilities and work field. It might be worthwhile to identify students 'at risk of failure' before the start of the program and offer them extra support.