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Structured Assessments: Enhancing Success in Early Nursing Education and Student Retention
Esther O Park1, Kathleen Chang1, Susan Koduah1
1School of Nursing (SoN), College of Public Health (CPH), George Mason University (GMU), Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Nursing Reports (Pavia, Italy)
|September 26, 2025
Summary
Structured assessments significantly reduced nursing student attrition, particularly in sophomore and fundamentals courses. This highlights the importance of early curriculum design improvements for nursing education retention.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Student Assessment
- Healthcare Workforce Development
Background:
- High nursing student attrition rates, especially in the sophomore year, jeopardize the nursing workforce.
- The study addresses the critical need to improve retention in nursing programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of structured assessment methods in enhancing nursing student success and reducing attrition.
- To identify specific interventions that support student retention in nursing education.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of a three-tier grading system (Mastery, Intermediate, Novice).
- Utilized standardized rubrics, instructor guidelines, remediation, and medication competency practice.
- Collected data through student/instructor surveys and attrition rate analysis.
Main Results:
- Overall sophomore attrition decreased from 23.5% to 17.3%; Fundamentals course attrition dropped from 20% to 12%.
- Students reported improved engagement and confidence in foundational skills.
- Instructors found the structure beneficial but raised concerns about sophomore skill appropriateness.
Conclusions:
- Structured assessment strategies demonstrably improve nursing student retention.
- Findings suggest revising early nursing curriculum design to better support student progression.
- The study provides valuable insights for nursing schools aiming to reduce attrition and enhance educational outcomes.
Keywords:
faculty consistencynursingnursing educationsophomore attritionstructured assessmentstudent retentionMore Related Videos
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