Faculty support and student retention

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Student Retention Studies

Background:

• Nursing student retention is a critical issue in healthcare education.
• Understanding factors influencing student persistence is essential for program success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between perceived faculty support and nursing student retention.
• To identify specific types of faculty support that impact student persistence.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 458 associate degree nursing students.
• Categorization of students based on program persistence (continuous, voluntary withdrawal, academic withdrawal).
• Measurement of perceived faculty support using a researcher-developed scale with two factors: psychological and functional support.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in perceived faculty support were found across student persistence groups.
• Students reporting higher perceived faculty support were more likely to persist.
• Both psychological and functional support were crucial for student success.

Conclusions:

• Faculty support, encompassing mentoring and direct academic assistance, is vital for nursing student retention.
• Enhancing faculty support can improve persistence rates and reduce student attrition in nursing programs.