title: A comparative study of the course-related family and financial problems of mature nursing students in Scotland and Australia.
abstract: This study reports a comparative survey of mature students undertaking pre-registration undergraduate nursing education in Australia and Scotland. The study aimed to explore comparisons between the course-related and course-related financial difficulties faced by mature students in two very different educational and funding systems. Financial stress is a predictor of both physical and mental health problems. A similar pattern of course-related problems were reported by both Australian and Scottish students with the exception that Scottish students experienced more problems with childcare and caring for elderly relatives. Course-related problems may be inherent in the nature of undergraduate nursing education although the relatively time-intensive nature of Scottish curricula may explain the childcare and elderly relatives difference. Scottish students reported higher overall financial-related problems but Australian students reported more problems with funding placements. These findings have implications for both curriculum designers and policy makers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK. p.g.cuthbertson@stir.ac.uk
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuthbertson
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lauder
authors.forename: Rebekah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003479:Curriculum; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D012606:Scotland; D012944:Social Support; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D014146:Training Support