Evaluation of graduates of an associate degree nursing program

Approximately 58 % of the RN nursing programs in the United States are associate degree programs (ADN). The curricula of these programs are designed to prepare graduates to competently provide direct patient care. The purpose of this descriptive comparative study was to evaluate the nursing performance of ADN graduates as perceived by graduates, faculty, and employers. In the first phase of the study, graduates and faculty completed the Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance (6-DSNP) at the time of graduation. Six months later, the graduates again were asked to complete the same questionnaire along with their employers. Findings indicated a significant difference in the planning and evaluation performance of graduates at graduation and 6 months later as perceived by the graduates. Graduates rated themselves significantly higher in all areas of performance when compared to faculty and employers. There was no significant difference in the perception of graduate performance between faculty and employers. This outcome assessment provides needed data on perceptions of ADN programs.