Strategies for success that led to 99.98% school of nursing retention

Abstract

Internationally, every year, thousands of students begin their journey in higher education by enrolling in pre-licensure and advanced nursing programs. However, not all students successfully complete their degrees to fruition. According to the National League for Nursing (NLN), the average national dropout rate for nursing programs in the United States is 20%-25%; this high attrition rate is considered problematic. The purpose of this presentation is to present the successes of a School of Nursing within Mississippi that has led to a 0.02% attrition/99.98% retention rate of students within programs. Some strategies proven to be successful in retaining students are: student support services, technical/tech support programs, online and face-to-face orientations, and student connection sessions set up for building peer relationships. Faculty and students are often unaware of the services provided by the institution and their department/school; dissemination of these services is pivotal to facilitating student success. The World Health Organization has predicted a shortage of over 18 million healthcare professionals by 2030, with half of those individuals representing the nursing profession. It is imperative to understand the attrition and retention of nursing students to prevent further loss of the future healthcare workforce. University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing focuses on various processes that contribute to its success for the retention of nursing students at all levels. Percentile of attrition from Summer and Fall 2022 semester enrollment, metrics revolving around student leave, and demographics of the school's programs/state of Mississippi are reviewed in this paper. The success of the SON program in gaining high retention is multifactorial. A detailed outline of how academic affairs, student affairs, and administration work together to achieve a culture of success for students within the School of nursing is presented in this manuscript.