Drop-out percnetage

elisabeth · Mar 30, 2007

I've been told by a number of people that there are people who truly want to be nurses and they do really well on the academic aspects of nursing, but they just can't hack it in a hospital setting. I've heard there's talk in California of requiring prospective nursing students to volunteer in a clinical setting for a period of time before applying.

stpauligirl · Mar 30, 2007

I started a health skills class last weekend at El Centro in Dallas. (Where I have applied for the Fall program).
The professor said that out of all the students who actually get in and start the program, only 25% finish! Isn't that wild. I wonder if it's because the program is so hard or people realize nursing is not for them.
I just thought it was interesting information.

I think the key is to continue working as hard as during the prerequisites and you will do just fine, maybe some people think they can take it easier since they made it in and all they need to do is pass? Just a thought

Cherish · Mar 30, 2007

Hmm...I think that one pre-requisite that should be mandatory in all schools is becoming a CNA before you can apply to the program. There are many programs in NC (community college level) that you have to be a CNA before you apply (you can take the class and be certified but do not technically have to have a job as one).

I think that can help weed out a lot of students. I have taken a CNA class (it was not mandatory in my program but everyone elses it was) and have seen students weened out of becoming RN/LPN/PA's because they didn't want to deal with cleaning people or being exposed to pee or poop. This will also help students with the first semester of nursing since they would know how to do basic skills already. They can then learn to perfect their ADL skills, and focus learning dosage calculations or pharmacology or what have you during the first semester.

MikeyJ, RN · Mar 31, 2007

A poster above me stated that a professor had told them that only 25% of the students who start their program actually finish it.

IMO, that school needs to look at what they are doing -- whether it be admissions process or how they conduct their actual nursing curriculum. There should be no reason for 75% of an entering class to fail or drop out before their class graduates. My university is very pro-active in making sure their students do well, and if a student is having noticeable troubles, they offer different types of help to allow that student to do well. They even allow them to repeat a semester if they do that horrible. My advisor had told me that out of each entering class (approximately 50 students per entering class), less than 5 end up dropping out or failing throughout the 16 month BSN program.

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 31, 2007

a student is developed. it seems that two things are being discussed; qualification for entry vs. student. therefore all of the things that you mentioned should happen during the course of the program, not upon entry.
if personality were a qualification then there would be a real nursing shortage. subjective qualities should not be a part of any selection criteria.

subjective stuff should be part of the selection - as i stated:

"probably one of the best ways to select students - let the students decide (and a number will) for themselves before they take up a seat in a program, that nursing is "just not their thing" by giving them a real opportunity to do so."

I_am_Julia · Mar 31, 2007

it's a great thing that many schools don't follow the subjective practices for the most part because if that were the can, the you too could be thinking about something else.

when you open the door to subjectivity, then anything is a stake; gender, race, height, weight, economic status, etc...

nonethess...carry on

subjective stuff should be part of the selection - as i stated:
"probably one of the best ways to select students - let the students decide (and a number will) for themselves before they take up a seat in a program, that nursing is "just not their thing" by giving them a real opportunity to do so."

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 31, 2007

it's a great thing that many schools don't follow the subjective practices for the most part because if that were the can, the you too could be thinking about something else.
when you open the door to subjectivity, then anything is a stake; gender, race, height, weight, economic status, etc...
nonethess...carry on

but you are missing it entirely - im not saying leave it up to other people to be subjective - im saying leave it up to the student - many students decide after getting into nsg school that nursing is really not for them afterall - why waste their time and everyone elses? why not give them a chance to decide beforehand with some type of clinical exposure before nursing school admission?

lexcourben · Apr 1, 2007

But you are missing it entirely - Im not saying leave it up to OTHER people to be subjective - Im saying leave it up to the STUDENT - many students decide after getting into Nsg school that nursing is really not for them afterall - why waste their time and everyone elses? Why not give them a chance to decide beforehand with some type of clinical exposure before NURSING school admission?

I think you're right on Gauge. Some volunteer experience in a hospital or having to become a CNA would give potential students a chance to see if they were really cut out for nursing. This is especially true since nurses need to have skills like patience and empathy that can't be objectively assessed. Ultimately, I think it needs to be a combination of objective (grades, entrance exams, etc.) along with the subjective (personality, temperament, etc).

Regardless, a 25% retention rate is something that should be looked at by the administration. That is a pitifully low number that means something isn't right.