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The Relationship of Selected Academic, Nonacademic, and Clinical Variables as Factors Influencing Pharmacy Knowledge Acquisition in Associate Degree Pre-Licensure Nursing Students

Stauffer, Diane M
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4427-4970
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1469202317

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Nursing Practice , Case Western Reserve University, School of Nursing.
Abstract Effective medication management is critical to safe practice. The Institute of Medicine reports that medication errors are common and adversely affect patient outcomes. In order for nurses to effectively manage medications and ensure safe patient care, a comprehensive knowledge of pharmacology is required. However, studies suggest nurses are inadequately prepared and do not have sufficient knowledge. The lack of pharmacology knowledge is attributed to a variety of factors that impact nursing education including the lack of biological sciences, ineffective teaching, superficial learning strategies, inadequate time devoted to pharmacology, and barriers or lack of opportunities for clinical application. Identifying factors that contribute to academic success or failure enables educators to pinpoint high-risk students early, provide counseling and academic support, and optimize student performance. This study used a descriptive correlational design to examine academic, non-academic, and clinical variables for pre-licensure nursing students in an Associate’s degree program. The purpose of the study was to determine the correlation between selected variables and pharmacology knowledge acquisition as demonstrated by scores on a standardized pharmacology assessment. A second purpose of the study was to determine any correlation between student perceptions of clinical experience opportunities for medication management and performance on the pharmacology assessment. Seven variables were analyzed for the nature and strength of relationships including nursing grade point average (GPA), science GPA, previous college credit or degree, previous health care experience in direct patient care, working hours per week, family responsibilities, and clinical experience opportunities for medication administration and decision-making. The study found a significant correlation between nursing grade point average (GPA) and pharmacology test scores, and science GPA and pharmacology test scores. These findings are consistent with the literature that demonstrates science GPA as a predictor for academic success in nursing, and nursing GPA as a predictor for standardized testing and NCLEX-RN success. No other variables were found to be significant in the correlational analysis. Further study is recommended to examine the selected variables in a larger more heterogeneous population, and to analyze pharmacology knowledge acquisition among programs with varying clinical experience opportunities for medication management.
Marilyn Lotas, PhD, RN, FAAN (Committee Chair)
Deborah Lindell, DNP, RN, CNE, ANEF (Committee Member)
Joni Goldwasser, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC (Committee Member)
151 p.
Health Care; Nursing; Pharmacology; Teacher Education
pharmacology knowledge acquisition; pharmacology knowledge in nursing students; pharmacology education; pharmacology and associate degree nursing

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Stauffer, D. M. (2016). The Relationship of Selected Academic, Nonacademic, and Clinical Variables as Factors Influencing Pharmacy Knowledge Acquisition in Associate Degree Pre-Licensure Nursing Students [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1469202317

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Stauffer, Diane. The Relationship of Selected Academic, Nonacademic, and Clinical Variables as Factors Influencing Pharmacy Knowledge Acquisition in Associate Degree Pre-Licensure Nursing Students . 2016. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1469202317.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Stauffer, Diane. "The Relationship of Selected Academic, Nonacademic, and Clinical Variables as Factors Influencing Pharmacy Knowledge Acquisition in Associate Degree Pre-Licensure Nursing Students ." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1469202317

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

casednp1469202317
316
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University Doctor of Nursing Practice and OhioLINK.