Dropped Courses and Persistence in Online Undergraduate Nursing Programs

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have linked dropped courses with an increased likelihood of persistence in nursing education. This study examined the association of dropped courses, demographic characteristics, and persistence among online undergraduate nursing students. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 29,926 former undergraduate nursing students enrolled from 2015 to 2019. The study sample included 2,073 students formerly enrolled in an online baccalaureate nursing (BSN) program and 27,853 students formerly enrolled in an online RN-to-BSN program. Results: RN-to-BSN students were more than twice as likely to drop a course than BSN students. For students in both programs, higher numbers of courses that were dropped before the course start date were associated with an increased likelihood of graduation. Conclusion: Understanding the extent to which course drops occur and their link to persistence in undergraduate nursing programs can assist academic program leaders in developing strategies to help students be successful. [ J Nurs Educ . 2022;61(11):609–615.]