This study uses statewide longitudinal data from Texas to estimate the impact of a state grant program intended to encourage low-income community college students to transfer to four-year institutions and complete the baccalaureate. Quasi-experimental methods employed include propensity score matching and regression discontinuity. Results indicate…

With the widespread use of classroom exams in nursing education there is a great need for research on current practices in nursing education regarding this form of assessment. The purpose of this study was to explore how nursing faculty members make decisions about using best practices in classroom test construction, item analysis, and revision in…

There is an extreme shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States (U.S.). This shortage is projected to grow to 260,000 RNs by the year 2025 (American Association of Colleges Nursing [AACN], 2010a). In order to meet the current and future health care needs of the population of the U.S., nursing schools would have to graduate at least…

This non-experimental, regression study examined the relationship between leadership practices and academic achievement for a non-traditional student population. The study was conducted at a small, four-year private college in Eastern North Carolina. The sample consisted of N = 146 (73 male, 73 female) non-traditional students enrolled in an…

Transfer and bachelor's degree attainment rates of low-income community college beginners lag behind their middle- and high-income peers. As community college continues to be an affordable and accessible route to higher education, consideration should be given to how to close the gap in transfer and bachelor's degree attainment rates of low-income…

High Fidelity Simulation is a teaching strategy that is becoming well-entrenched in the world of nursing education and is rapidly expanding due to the challenges and demands of the health care environment. The problem addressed in this study is the conflicting research results regarding the effectiveness of HFS for students' knowledge acquisition…

The purpose of this study was to test a model using Rosabeth Kanter's theory (1977; 1993) of structural empowerment to determine if this model can predict student nurses' level of critical thinking. Major goals of nursing education are to cultivate graduates who can think critically with a keen sense of clinical judgment, and who can perform…

This case study analyzed the perceptions of professionalism among an emerging and distinct occupational sector of community college faculty: community college faculty who teach in baccalaureate programs. The research was designed to address three questions as to the experiences of Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) faculty. First, what are the…

Governmental organizations, community agencies, and behavioral health consumers are concerned about the competency of behavioral healthcare workers. Studies indicate that education is needed to improve the quality of the behavioral health workforce. The purpose of this study was to examine the competencies workers perceive they need to develop and…

This quantitative correlational study investigated the relationship between trait emotional intelligence (EI) and academic achievement as evident by Grade Point Average (GPA) among senior Black students enrolled in Baccalaureate Science nursing (BSN) programs within the United States. Participants were invited via the Internet to volunteer for the…

Every year recent college graduates enter the workforce and experience newcomer adjustment, the process of learning the tasks of a new job and becoming integrated into an organization during the first year of employment. Some new professionals effectively cope with the changes they experience, while others are less successful. Newcomers' negative…

The profession of nutrition and dietetics has experienced significant changes over the past 100 years due to advances in nutrition science and healthcare delivery. Although these advances have prompted changes in educational requirements in other healthcare professions, the requirements for entry-level registered dietitians have not changed since…

Tightening fiscal budgets and the growing emphasis on accountability has created a need to assess the value that programmatic accreditation provides. For degrees in engineering, ABET is the only organization recognized in the U.S. responsible for the programmatic accreditation. This research examines the costs and benefits of ABET accreditation to…

Respiratory care is an allied health discipline that specializes in cardiopulmonary function and health. Respiratory therapists apply scientific principles to prevent, identify, and treat acute and chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system. Respiratory care specifically focuses on the assessment, treatment, management, control, diagnostic…

Purpose: One purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a difference was present in the STEM degree attainment of all students and particularly of URMs between the 2001 and the 2009 academic year. The second purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a difference was present in the attainment of STEM associate…