Identifying Risks for Attrition in First-Year Nursing Students at a Southeastern State Technical College

Never has nursing student retention been as critical as it is today. The ongoing nursing shortage demands an increase in the number of bedside nurses. Combine this with declining institutional funding and decreasing population numbers means that nursing student retention has become a recent focus. Nursing students are typically non-traditional students and so are stressed by different variables than their traditional counterparts. This quantitative retrospective study explored the data gathered previously from students who either exited the program or those who failed a nursing exam. The study used the Bean and Metzner’s (1985) Student Attrition Model which identified variables that affect non-traditional students and their persistence. These students were required to meet with an instructor at this southeastern state technical college and data are gathered that details the number of hours worked, days missed or absent, and the number of days worked prior to an exam. A correlation and regression analysis was used to analyze the study data. Some statistical links were noted between the identified variables, this project also highlights the lack of definitive work to guide educators at this institution in their efforts to better understand student attrition and persistence. Further research is recommended to continue to delve into this area of much needed change to answer the call of the nursing shortage and to assist nursing students in maximizing their full potential each and every time.