Dropped Courses and Persistence in Online Undergraduate Nursing Programs

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Online Learning
• Student Persistence

Background:

• Recent research indicates a correlation between course drops and increased persistence in nursing programs.
• This study investigates the relationship between dropped courses, student demographics, and persistence in online undergraduate nursing programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between dropped courses and persistence among online undergraduate nursing students.
• To compare course drop rates between Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and RN-to-BSN programs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 29,926 undergraduate nursing students (2015-2019).
• Sample included 2,073 online BSN students and 27,853 online RN-to-BSN students.

Main Results:

• RN-to-BSN students were over twice as likely to drop a course compared to BSN students.
• For both program types, a higher number of courses dropped before the start date correlated with an increased likelihood of graduation.

Conclusions:

• Understanding course drop patterns is crucial for nursing program success.
• Academic leaders can use this data to develop targeted support strategies for students facing academic challenges.