Time, Place and Face: a preregistration adult nursing student retention initiative

Student nurse retention is a concern, with one in four leaving their UK nursing degree before completion. Common reasons include personal circumstances, assessment failure and placement experiences. Despite research on reducing attrition, little evidence exists on effective strategies, particularly those related to placements.

The Time, Face and Place project aimed to improve retention through reform of placement allocation and experiences for preregistration student nurses at one university.

A university and six NHS trusts collaborated to develop three placement principles: student choice of placement trust (Place), the ability to request off-duty shifts and receive rotas 4 weeks in advance (Time), and a photograph of, plus weekly contact with, a clinical educator (Face).

Survey and interview evaluations demonstrated positive feedback, with greater feelings of wellbeing and belonging.

The model should continue and more detailed attrition data are needed to inform future research.