Strategies for recruiting nursing students.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• Declining enrollment and threatened faculty positions posed a significant challenge to the baccalaureate nursing school.
• The need for a strategic intervention to revitalize student recruitment and ensure faculty stability was evident.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, implement, and evaluate a structured recruitment plan to address declining enrollment in a baccalaureate nursing program.
• To improve access to reliable information for prospective nursing students and enhance the visibility of the nursing profession.

Main Methods:

• The recruitment plan incorporated three key components: enhanced publicity, direct prospective applicant contacts, and active alumni involvement.
• Data on student enrollment and faculty retention were collected and analyzed to assess the plan's impact.

Main Results:

• The implemented recruitment plan led to a significant increase in the number of new entering freshmen declaring nursing as their major.
• The study also observed improved faculty retention rates, indicating a positive impact on the school's stability.

Conclusions:

• A structured, multi-component recruitment strategy can be highly effective in reversing enrollment declines in nursing programs.
• Enhancing information dissemination and leveraging alumni networks are crucial for successful nursing school recruitment and faculty retention.