Linguistic diversity as sociodemographic predictor of nursing program progression and completion

• Published in: Contemporary nurse : a journal for the Australian nursing profession Vol. 38; no. 1-2; pp. 84 - 93
• Main Authors: Salamonson, Yenna, Andrew, Sharon, Clauson, Jennifer, Cleary, Michelle, Jackson, Debra, Jacobs, Sharon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 01.04.2011; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; attrition; College dropouts; Cultural Diversity; diversity; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; Emigrants and Immigrants; Employment; Female; Higher education; Humans; Language; Linguistics; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; New South Wales; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing education; Nursing students; Part time employment; program completion; progression; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sociodemographics; Socioeconomic Factors; Student Dropouts; Student retention; Study and teaching; Australia; New South Wales
• ISSN: 1037-6178; 1839-3535
• DOI: 10.5172/conu.2011.38.1-2.84

Attrition from undergraduate nursing programs continues to warrant investigation particularly in the climate of nursing shortages and fiscal reflection on academic institutional programs. This three-year study used a prospective longitudinal survey design to determine entry characteristics of students, attrition, progression and completion in an undergraduate program. Students were surveyed in the first three weeks of commencing their program and gave permission for academic grades to be collected during their six session, three year Bachelor of Nursing program. Of the 740 students enrolled 48% (357 students) were surveyed and 352 students (99%) gave consent for their grades to be collected. One-third of the student cohort graduated in the expected three-year timeframe, one-third had dropped out and one-third was still completing their studies. A higher Grade Point Average and being a native English speaker were most predictive of students completing their course in the minimum expected timeframe.