Attrition among Iranian nursing students: A qualitative study

Attrition is a major challenge facing nursing students that results in substantial costs on the education, health, and treatment systems across countries and can have an unwanted effect on the quality and quantity of health services provided as well as on the health of citizens. This descriptive study investigated nursing students' perceptions toward factors influencing attrition. We conducted a qualitative study using a content analysis approach. Nineteen students enrolled in nursing bachelor program were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews, focus group interviews, and participant observation, and analysed using conventional content analysis approach. Attrition factors were categorized into two themes: ‘before admission’ and ‘after admission’. The most important factors were obligation to choose nursing in the National Entrance Exam, poor management in workforce provision and improper supervision, discrepancy between expectations and experiences, and being work abused in clinical training. Authorities in education and practice sectors can use these findings to improve the quality of clinical and theoretical education and to avoid nursing student attrition. This can be achieved through an increase in community awareness of the identity of nursing, efficient management of workforce provision and clear and concise supervision of activities in both theoretical and clinical fields. •Before entering the nursing education, pupils have the right of getting informed about the professional challenges they would face after graduation.•Keeping the prestige and dignity can promote the personal, professional and social identity of nursing students.•Reducing both the theory and clinical gap can prevent the attrition among students.•The nursing staff should be familiar with nursing students' duties.