Student nurse retention. Lived experience of mature female students on a UK Bachelor of Nursing (Adult) programme: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract Aims To explore the lived experiences of mature female students undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing (Adult) programme in the UK, to gain insight into the challenges and barriers faced by students and investigate the factors that support students who have considered leaving, to stay and continue with their studies. Background There is a global shortage of nurses and challenges exist in ensuring that enough nurses are available to provide care in the complex and rapidly changing care environments. Initiatives introduced to increase the number of Registered Nurses (RN), include increasing the number of students enrolled on pre‐registration nursing programmes. However, the success of this intervention is contingent on the number of students who go on to complete their course. Design This qualitative study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), which provided a methodological framework and analytical approach to enable an exploration of participants' individual and shared lived experiences. Methods Eight female, mature students at the end of their second year of a Bachelor of Nursing (Adult) programme at a Higher Education Institution in South Wales participated in semi‐structured, face‐to‐face interviews, which were analysed idiographically before group‐level analysis was undertaken. Findings The analysis revealed three superordinate themes: ‘Ambition to become a Registered Nurse’; ‘Jugging Roles’ and ‘Particular Support Needs for a Particular Student’. Conclusion Each student had a unique history, their past and present social and psychological experiences were multifaceted and complex. These differences resulted in varying degrees of resilience and motivations to continue their studies. These findings are important for ensuring that services develop and provide effective support to maximize retention and, ultimately, increase the number of students entering the RN workforce. Patient of Public Contribution No patient or public contribution. Impact Statement This research expands on current literature regarding the needs of mature female students, a growing student nurse demographic. Every student had a dynamic set of circumstances and demonstrated that the identification of ‘at‐risk’ students, purely based on demographics or information on a Curriculum Vitae, is problematic and potentially futile. This knowledge could be used to tailor University support systems and inform curriculum development and support systems for maximizing student retention. These findings are important for ensuring that services continue to develop and provide effective support to maximize retention and completion and, ultimately, increase the number of students entering the Nursing and Midwifery Council register.