Mapping the Landscape of Academic Support in Nursing Education

Background: Academic support programs are used in prelicensure nursing education to improve retention, progression, and equity. However, the literature is inconsistent and fragmented. Purpose: This scoping review mapped academic support interventions for U.S. prelicensure nursing students, identified outcome measures, and highlighted gaps in the literature. Methods: Following JBI methodology and PRISMA‑ScR guidelines, 4 databases – PubMed‑MEDLINE, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, and Web of Science – were searched, with the final search completed on September 16, 2025. Studies were included if they reported empirical outcomes of academic support interventions for prelicensure nursing students. Results: Twenty-two studies met criteria. Most were observational. Common interventions included mentoring, tutoring, coaching, and psychosocial support. Delivery methods were typically multimodal. Outcomes included retention, course performance, NCLEX pass rates, and engagement. Few studies used theoretical frameworks or assessed developmental outcomes. Conclusions: Findings support the need for early, theory-informed academic support programs evaluated with consistent measures of academic and developmental outcomes.