Evidence-Based Interventions for Retention of Nursing Students: A Review of the Literature

There is a need to better understand effective student retention strategies in nursing.

This review of course and program interventions reported in the nursing literature is intended to highlight interventions, supported by evidence, to graduate more enrolled students and recommend areas of retention efforts that need further research.

The PRISMA search strategy was used to identify and narrow the number of relevant studies. A scoring instrument to evaluate rigor, reliability, and validity of interventions was adapted from a valid and reliable tool used to evaluate studies using a health care education intervention.

Evidence-based interventions that improved retention included retention program/specialist, robust orientation, mentoring and tutoring, stipends, and remediation.

Nurse educators are independently striving to improve retention rates of nursing students. Implementing evidence-based interventions will advance this effort.