The Value of Admission Interviews

1. The Value of Admission Interviews Lisa Rosenberg, PhD, RN Associate Professor Rush University College of Nursing

2. Overview • Do interviews provide relevant data in making admission decisions? • Are attrition rates affected when interviews are conducted?

3. Times Have Changed • Qualified applicant pools • Waitlists • Expanding enrollments • Faculty shortages • Overflowing clinical sites • Full classrooms

4. Attrition Rates • General pre-licensure attrition reported in literature from 10-44% • Accelerated pre-licensure attrition, 10-20% • Rush Generalist Entry Master’s program, < 5% thus far • Other Rush graduate programs (specialty Masters, DNP, PhD)

5. Why It Matters • More nurses will enter the workforce • Fiscal implications for school and student • Effect on morale of faculty and student body

6. What Does the Literature Tell Us Are Predictors of Academic Performance • GPA • Standardized Tests • Environmental variables, e.g., child care, family crisis • Working full or part-time • Personal problems • Professional incompatibilities • Behavioral anomalies

7. Cost-Benefit of Interviewing • # of hours to interview applicant pool, file review and interviewer training • Average faculty salary per hour • Tuition for a single student over total program If the data provided from just one interview led to the denial of an applicant who was believed less likely to succeed and was replaced by an applicant who was ultimately successful, then the financial cost of interviewing was immediately recovered, as well as the projected revenue.

8. Admission Interview Reliability • Demonstrable rating criteria • Standardized interview guide • Interviewer training • Paired faculty interviews • “Post-Mortem” review to guide revisions to the interviewing process

9. The Interview Process • Experienced teachers in relevant program • Two faculty, 25 min. interview, 5 min. post-discussion • Interview guide followed, standard information gathered, addl. questions as needed • One faculty records during interview • Evaluation form completed in post-discussion

10. The Interview Guide • Five questions + related probes • 1 – 5 rating scale • Interviewers assess: • The candidate’s motivation to enter nursing and capacity for empathy • Ability to describe what nurses do • Suitable personal characteristics and readiness • Ability to manage a full-time program • Academic/life inconsistencies

11. Interview Guide cont. • Summary comments • An overall rating of highly recommend, recommend, recommend for waitlist or deny is required • For each rating there is a standardized detailed description

12. The Post-Mortem • Important to review the files of those students who, especially early on, did not complete the program. • Could these student outcomes have been predicted from their applications or interview information? • Data that was either overlooked by the interviewers or not viewed as significant by the admissions committee gave indication to potential difficulties ahead.

13. But Does It Work? • Attrition comparison from regular to accelerated BSN • Anecdotal experience – applicant who “looked good on paper” but in interview presented with obvious behavioral anomalies • The professional and fiscal benefits of interviewing do not rely on making many good decisions, just one

14. Interviewing for MSN Specialty, DNP and PhD Programs • MSN Specialty - Specific advanced practice specialty requirements, understands specialty practice role of interest, possible case scenarios • Post-Master’s DNP – Leadership context and ability to complete a large scope change project • PhD – Research phenomena of interest appropriate fit with institution and faculty • Always assessing for problematic behavioral or interpersonal characteristics

15. Summary • Done well, interviewing applicants is in their best interest as well as that of the faculty, student body and institution. • Though a time commitment is necessary, even minimally improved attrition rates make interviewing a fiscally prudent decision.