Effects of a retention intervention program for associate degree nursing students.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of a retention intervention program on nursing students' persistence in obtaining an associate's degree.


BACKGROUND
An associate degree nursing program at a large community college used a three-year grant from the US Department of Labor to create a program to improve retention of nursing students.


METHODS
Seven retention interventions (stipends, learning communities, comprehensive orientation, individualized academic planning, counseling, peer tutoring, and community nurse mentoring) were provided to participants. Correlational analyses were conducted between demographic variables and degree completion and between individual intervention program participation and degree completion.


RESULTS
The program produced a statistically significant improvement in retention, but no specific intervention or mixture of interventions was significantly correlated with retention.


CONCLUSIONS
Retention programs must be comprehensive, integrated efforts in order to increase the degree completion rate.
Karen
K
Fontaine
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003376:Counseling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004507:Education, Nursing, Associate / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult