Living off campus adding to nursing student drop-out rates, study finds

Living away from campus can affect nursing student attrition rates, according to one academic

University of Hetfordshire pre-registration lead Jane Say presented a study on attrition rates at the RCN Education Forum conference. Ms Say used data collected from four adult nursing cohorts at the university from September 2011 to February 2013.

With many students choosing to keep down costs by living at home and commuting to university, the study revealed distance between accomodation and the campus was a factor. 

'Travelling could be an issue,' Ms Say told the conference in Cardiff on 21 March. 'The further students lived away from the University of Hertfordshire, the more likely we were to see drop outs. We are really trying to look at travel. A lot of students are not living on campus; they're living at home and travelling in.'

Missing out

She said this often made for longer working days, meaning students were more tired 'and not feeling part of the university'.

The University of Hertfordshire has an average attrition rate of 7-8%, down significantly from 31% in September 2011, when the nursing programme was launched.

Academic failure was the biggest cause of withdrawal. The university has tackled attrition by ensuring personal tutors maintain a link with students, especially when on placement.

The study also found those who had taken A-Levels were the least likely to withdraw, making up 18% of drop-outs, while those entering with BTEC grades were most likely to leave early, at 29%.

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