Nursing student attrition and implications for pre-admission advisement

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Studies
• Student Retention

Background:

• The nursing profession faces a critical shortage, exacerbated by a declining applicant pool.
• High nursing student attrition rates pose a significant challenge to educational institutions and the healthcare system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors contributing to nursing student attrition.
• To compare the perspectives of non-returning students and faculty on attrition causes.
• To recommend improvements in preadmission advising to enhance student retention.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed 227 non-returning nursing students to determine attrition factors.
• Surveyed 24 nursing faculty members to gather their insights on attrition causes.
• Analyzed survey data to identify discrepancies and common themes.

Main Results:

• Non-returning students cited class scheduling, financial difficulties, and employment responsibilities as primary attrition factors.
• Faculty identified poor study skills as the main issue, a view not shared by students.
• A significant gap exists between student-reported and faculty-reported reasons for attrition.

Conclusions:

• Inadequate preadmission advising contributes to nursing student attrition.
• Students need comprehensive information on the personal and financial demands of nursing education before admission.
• Enhanced preadmission advising can mitigate attrition and support the nursing workforce.