Identifying engagement and associated factors in nursing students: An exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Student Well-being
• Academic Engagement

Background:

• Student burnout is prevalent in healthcare fields.
• Academic engagement in nursing students is understudied despite its benefits.
• High burnout rates in nursing students necessitate focus on engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the level of academic engagement among nursing students.
• To identify factors influencing nursing student engagement.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory study conducted in 2019 across three Spanish universities.
• Utilized the UWES-S-17 questionnaire for data collection.
• Sample comprised 808 nursing students.

Main Results:

• An average level of academic engagement was observed.
• Significant differences in engagement were found based on gender and age, with females and older students reporting higher engagement.
• Second-year students exhibited lower scores in effort and persistence compared to first and third-year students.

Conclusions:

• Identifying engagement levels and influencing factors offers opportunities for positive intervention in nursing education.
• Specific educational strategies and policies are required to enhance student engagement.
• Sustaining engagement is crucial for academic success, future professional well-being, high-quality nursing care, and patient safety.