Academic dismissal from a baccalaureate nursing program: The student's perspective

Background: The dismissal of a nursing student is distressing for the student and may be viewed as a failure of the admissions process or a lack of support by the school to ensure student success. While student dismissal is often associated with student characteristics such as academic performance prior to enrollment or during the nursing program, there was a dearth of studies that examined student dismissal from an in-depth analysis of the student's perspective. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe and explore factors contributing to academic dismissal, particularly from the student's perspective. Method: Using the lens of Critical Pedagogy, the investigator interviewed nine students dismissed from a baccalaureate nursing program. Students were asked to describe their experiences from the time they decided to pursue nursing school, during school, and after dismissal. Results: Findings of this study suggest that intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to a student's choice of pursuing nursing warrant consideration, including a student's social and cultural factors prior to admission. Conclusion: Results from this study may inform those faculty and the admissions team reviewing potential students for admission into a baccalaureate nursing program of essential factors to consider prior to offering admission. A holistic evaluation of the student with consideration of social and cultural factors and readiness for entrance into a pre-licensure nursing program is the goal of the admissions process.