title: Developing a national computerised absence monitoring and management system to reduce nursing student attrition: evaluation of staff and student perspectives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reducing avoidable nursing student attrition is an international challenge. A pattern of falling attendance is recognised as a frequent precursor to withdrawal from nursing programmes. To address concerns regarding nursing student attrition, the Scottish Government implemented a pilot project for a centralised Computerised Absence Management and Monitoring System (CAMMS). The CAMMS adopted an 'assertive outreach' approach, contacting students every two weeks via colour coded letters to tell them whether their attendance was 'excellent', 'good, but potentially causing concern'; or 'warning; attendance concerns/contact academic staff for support'. This article reports key findings from an evaluation of CAMMS.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the perceived impact of CAMMS on student support and attrition, from the perspectives of academic and administrative staff and students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed methods evaluation design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three large geographically dispersed Schools of Nursing in Scotland.
  
  
  METHODS
  83 students; 20 academic staff; and 3 lead administrators.
  
  
  METHODS
  On-line cohort survey of academic staff and students; structured interviews with lead administrators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings reflected a spectrum of negative and positive views of CAMMS. Students who are attending regularly seem pleased that their commitment is recognised. Lecturers who teach larger groups report greater difficulty getting to know students individually and acknowledge the benefit of identifying potential attendance concerns at an early stage. Conversely, some students who received a 'warning' letter were frequently annoyed or irritated, rather than feeling supported. Increased staff workload resulted in negative perceptions and a consequent reluctance to use CAMMS. However, students who were causing concern reported subsequent improvement in attendance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAMMS has the potential to identify 'at-risk' students at an early stage; however, the system should have flexibility to tailor automatically generated letters in response to individual circumstances, to avoid student frustration. Further research on the longer term impact of CAMMS on attrition rates is warranted.
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: k.currie@gcu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCallum
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Strachan
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yates
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Marty
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D003201:Computers; D006801:Humans; D013338:Students, Nursing; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Absence management; Attrition; Student retention; Survey