Predictors of academic success in undergraduate nursing education: A narrative review (E)

Academic success in undergraduate nursing education is a multi-faceted issue calling for an increase in research attention. The global nursing workforce shortage contributes to the growing complexity of health care systems. Nurses comprise the majority of human health resources in health care systems. Gaining an in-depth understanding of the multiple factors which influence undergraduate nursing student academic success is an important initial step to identifying gaps and opportunities. A narrative review of factors contributing to academic success in undergraduate nursing education was conducted using the Jeffreys Universal Retention and Success Model (NURS). A review of the literature was conducted by electronically searching the databases CINAHL, Google Scholar, ERIC, PsychInfo, PubMed and EBSCO Host. The search terms used were nursing students, nursing education, academic success, retention, attrition and predictive factors. The search timeline was limited to studies from the previous 20 years (2002-2022). The factors predictive of academic success and retention frequently cited in the reviewed literature included student demographics, psychological and personality factors, academic factors, environmental, and social factors. The findings of this review revealed that demographic factors related to ethnicity, linguistic diversity, age, gender, and employment status influenced academic success. The findings related to demographic factors demonstrate there is a need for interventions that reduce barriers to achieving academic success for students affected by these factors. Additional findings indicate psychological, personality, academic, social and environmental factors also influence academic success. These factors require further investigation to determine which academic interventions promote academic success for students impacted by these factors.