Enhancing student retention in nursing education: strategies and interventions

Background: The nursing shortage continues to burden healthcare organizations across the country. Part of the problem is related to pipeline; not enough students are entering, completing, and graduating from nursing school. In addition, students may not be adequately prepared to enter the nursing program, even though they meet the admission criteria. Students may have problems with study habits and test taking skills, can be overwhelmed by stress, and have poor time management skills. Additional support may be needed to ensure retention and success in nursing school. Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the use of an online preparatory program (LNAR) to improve retention in the first year of nursing school. Methods: Students’ proctored assessment data (N = 1350) from ADN and PN fundamentals programs where LNAR has been adopted were analyzed. Results: Findings indicated statistically significant improvements on scores after the adoption of LNAR. Conclusions: Ensuring prenursing students are prepared for the rigors of nursing school through solutions like LNAR may improve first semester retention rates of students.

Duke Scholars

Author Beth Cusatis Phillips School of Nursing