IQ and Academic Performance: Impetus for Nursing Licensure Examination (PNLE) Success

Abstract

Nurses play a crucial role in society, especially in the provision of quality healthcare. The educational sector is tasked to train students to possess appropriate cognitive and other skills to prepare them to become globally competent nurses. Hence, this study determines the significant relationship between the University of Cebu- Banilad Bachelor of Science in Nursing students’ psychometric examination results, academic performance, and their ratings in the Philippine Nursing Licensure Examination (PNLE) given by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) with the end view of devising and intervention scheme to improve the curriculum and program implementation of the BSN program.

This study will utilize the descriptive correlation research design using secondary data from the Guidance Office, Registrar’s Office, and the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC). This study will be undertaken at the University of Cebu-Banilad. The research subjects will be the Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates who successfully passed the Philippine Nurses Licensure Examination (PNLE) after completing their Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) degree at the University of Cebu-Banilad (UC-Banilad) from 2014-2018 and 2015-2019, respectively with a total number of four hundred twelve (412) graduates. The research protocol was subjected to the Academic Research Ethics Committee (UCAREC). Frequency count and simple percentage will be used to describe the academic profile of the research subjects. Pearson R was used to determine the significant relationship among the variables measured. Ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice will be observed in this investigation.

More research subjects had below-average OLSAT-G test results and arithmetic abilities; the majority had low reading comprehension. In addition, most of them had good academic performance based on their grade weighted average (GWA). They passed the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examinations (PNLE) in 2018 and 2019 for the June and November examinations. There is a significant relationship between the research subjects' psychometric examination results (consisting of tests to measure the intelligence quotient (IQ), arithmetic abilities, and reading comprehension) and their academic performance. Another significant relationship exists between the psychometric examination results of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates of the University of Cebu-Banilad and their performance in the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE). There is a moderate positive correlation between the research subjects’ academic performance and their performance in the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE). Hence, the BSN student's cognitive abilities and performance in the different courses taken are predictors of success or failure in the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE).