Correlation of Student Work Hours and Academic Performance

Reyes, Helen

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Helen Reyes, MSN, EdD¹
Vicki Hartin, MSN, RN²
Collette Loftin, MSN, RN, CNE²
Deborah Davenport, PhD, RN²
Valecia Carter-Vaughn, PhD²
(1)Department of Nursing, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX
(2)Nursing, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX

Learning Objective 1: Identify potential risks to academic success for nursing students who work.

Learning Objective 2: Identify and enhance educators' ability to advise nursing students concerning risks of working with regard to overall GPA and high attrition course GPA.

Little is documented about the relationship between hours worked by nursing students and academic success as defined by overall GPA and high attrition course GPA (e.g., pathophysiology, medical-surgical nursing, or pediatric/obstetrical nursing). A pilot study, conducted in spring 2009, of graduating seniors revealed that the number of hours worked correlated negatively with overall GPA.

From these findings, we now are looking at each graduating cohorts’ self report of the number of hours worked, in addition to the shift worked, and correlating this data with overall nursing GPA and GPA of high attrition nursing courses. Data has been collected over the past seven semesters with a sample of 190 students. Preliminary examination of the data lead us to believe there is a significant relationship between these two concepts. Findings will be informative to nurse educators, admission counselors, nursing faculty and staff, as well as employers of nursing students, in advising students who also work while in school.

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