Nurse education: factors associated with attrition

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Studies

Background:

• Nursing student attrition is a significant international concern, particularly in the UK.
• Despite low overall university dropout rates, the UK faces challenges with nursing student retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors influencing student completion rates in preregistration nursing programs.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for improving nursing program retention.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing demographic and completion data.
• Analysis of four cohorts totaling 1259 nursing students at a large English university.
• Data collected in 2007.

Main Results:

• Older students and those with higher entry qualifications demonstrated higher completion rates.
• Male, Black/minority ethnic, and students in the child branch showed increased risk of attrition.
• Healthcare organization placement influenced student completion rates.

Conclusions:

• Recruit mature students and require higher entry qualifications to improve nursing program completion.
• Enhance course flexibility and provide multi-level student support to reduce attrition.
• Address specific risks identified for male, minority ethnic, and child branch students.