The influence of social determinants of education on nursing student persistence and professional values

Schools of Nursing are challenged to increase student diversification as there continues to be documented college achievement gaps in students who come from under-resourced, low socioeconomic communities with difficult environmental constraints and lifestyle issues.

The purpose of this 3-year study was to test a social determinants of education (SDE) model with 400 diverse nursing students.

The SDE framework was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM)) to estimate the influence of background social determinants, emotional intelligence and lifestyle on students' ability to integrate into collegiate academic and social support systems and to persist to graduation with professional values. Qualitative analysis was completed on student input on support.

Social determinants student lifestyles and emotional intelligence explained over 26% of the variance of academic integration, and academic integration explained over 19% of the variance of the student outcome of persistence. 11% of professional values was accounted for by the combination of parent education, social support, lifestyle and emotional intelligence, academic integration, and persistence. Qualitative analyses also supported the SDE Framework with themes that included life balance, academic relationships and communication, and career.

The SDE Framework offers faculty and administrators with targeted factors to consider when assessing and providing resources to enable students to achieve their maximal capacity to succeed in college and in their careers.