Student nurse satisfaction levels with their courses: part I -- effects of demographic variables

Measuring academic satisfaction in nursing students: a systematic review of the instruments

Student academic satisfaction is one of the most important factors affecting the success and quality of a higher education institute and is an indicator about teaching and learning. This study aims to summarize and critically evaluate the instruments assessing academic satisfaction in nursing education. A systematic review was undertaken, PRISMA were used for the screening of studies. MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus and CINAHL were searched using MeSH terms; seven eligible articles were identified referring to five assessment tools. COSMIN was used for evaluation of the methodological of the instruments. The systematic review identified five satisfaction measurement tools used in nursing education. The analysis of the instruments rarely considered a confirmative validity structure, measurement error or criterion validity. The best available instrument was the Nursing Students Satisfaction Scale (NSSS) for validation methodology; however, it needs further validation studies that consider CFA, reliability, criteria validity, hypothesis testing and measurement error.

Nursing students' satisfaction with the curriculum: An integrative review

BACKGROUND

Student satisfaction is one indicator of quality in higher education, allowing access to funding and coming with repercussions on student performance. This theme is considered complex and highly studied; however, in the nursing literature, there are no studies that summarize and combine the variables and predictors of satisfaction, as well as the existing conceptual models.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to define the following: 1) nursing students' academic satisfaction, 2) the existing theoretical models, 3) the academic satisfaction trend during the course, 4) the differences in academic satisfaction level between nursing student characteristics, and 5) the variables involved in the satisfaction process.

METHODS

An integrative review using Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) methodologies was conducted. The electronic databases CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus were used. Two reviewers independently conducted the quality appraisal of the selected studies using the checklist proposed by Edwards (2015) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool.

FINDINGS

Nineteen papers were included. The articles were published between 1990 and 2018.

CONCLUSIONS

The review highlights the lack of a shared conceptual framework to guide the empirical research in the nursing degree field. Four dimensions that predict satisfaction with the curriculum have been identified: faculty, curriculum, social, and development.

"Gaining a new sense of me": Mature students experiences of under-graduate nursing education

BACKGROUND

Mature aged students bring a unique perspective to the under-graduate nursing programme. For many this will be the culmination of different career pathways or the feeling it is their time. However, mature students also experience significant changes both educationally, familial and financially. Balancing the competing demands can create a great deal of emotional and stressful challenges.

AIM

To gain a better understanding of the mature aged student's educational experiences of undertaking the bachelor of nursing degree.

SETTING

The setting included a regional and metropolitan campus in South East Queensland.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sample of mature nursing students (n = 21) were asked to participate in focus group interviews.

METHOD

Five focus group interviews were transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. There were three themes captured from the focus group interviews - Family Supported/Family Divided; Challenges for the Older Student and Gaining a New Sense of Me.

RESULTS

Many of the mature students in this study cherished the idea of making a new start and a nursing career afford them the opportunity - it was something they had always dreamed of. They expressed the challenges associated with being a nursing student, the competing demands - financial, social and educational, but despite these they saw their future as being extremely positive and potentially rewarding.

CONCLUSIONS

Mature aged students continue to experience difficult academic challenges, difficult life choices especially where family support is not forth-coming and at times financial insecurity. It would seem reasonable that ensuring the educational experience is tailored to meet the challenges of being a mature student are considered to support the additional expenditure that is created by returning to higher education.

An Analysis of Factors Affecting Mature Age Students’ Academic Success in Undergraduate Nursing Programs: A Critical Literature Review

The population of mature age students entering university nursing programs has steadily increased in both Australia and worldwide. The objective of the literature review was to explore how mature age students perform academically and to analyse the factors associated with their academic performance in nursing programs. A literature search was conducted in the following databases: CINAHL, ProQuest, Medline, Cochrane, Mosby’s Index, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), and Scopus. Twenty-six (26) research papers published between 2000 and 2014 have met the selection criteria of this review. The key themes identified include; 1) ambiguity in definition of mature age and academic success, 2) age and academic success, 3) intrinsic factors (life experiences, emotional intelligence, and motivation and volition), and 4) extrinsic factors (peer, academic and family support; and learning style, components of the modules and mode of delivery). Current literature provides evidence that mature age nursing students perform at a higher level within the methodological issues discussed in this paper. Future research is warranted to advance the understanding of the complex relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic factors of mature age students and their academic success in higher education. Nursing educators will benefit from novel evidence, ideas and opportunities to explore and implement in nursing education.

Nursing Student Satisfaction with an Associate Nursing Program

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to conduct a nationwide survey to understand the satisfaction of associate of science in nursing (ASN) students with a nursing program as a whole.

BACKGROUND

Student satisfaction is viewed as an indicator of program success. Yet, nursing student satisfaction has not been sufficiently studied in the United States.

METHOD

The Curriculum, Faculty, Social Interaction, and Environment model was used to support this nationwide study. Stratified random sampling was used to recruit 56 ASN programs from 31 US states for participation.

RESULTS

The students rated their satisfaction with the nursing program as close to "satisfied." The faculty, curriculum, and social interaction significantly and positively predicted overall student satisfaction with a nursing program.

CONCLUSION

A nursing program can evaluate students' satisfaction periodically to determine the impact of the educational experience on the program's performance.

Educational preparation for clinical nursing: the satisfaction of students and new graduates from two Australian universities

BACKGROUND

Attrition rates among young and newly registered nurses are high; the capacity of nurse education programmes to prepare nurses for their professional role and the extent to which they are supported during the transition from student to registered nurse may be important factors.

OBJECTIVES

This paper examines nursing student and recent graduate satisfaction with their education, focusing on their preparation for work.

DESIGN

A descriptive cohort design was used, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to measure and interpret satisfaction.

SETTING

Two Australian universities, one urban and one regional.

PARTICIPANTS

530 undergraduate nursing students and recent graduates from the Bachelor of Nursing programmes at the two universities.

METHODS

Data were collected via an online survey. Satisfaction with the programmes was measured with closed format questions covering different aspects of the programmes and a single open ended question. Responses were compared between older and younger respondents and between graduates and students at different stages of the programme.

RESULTS

Older students were more dissatisfied than younger students with the amount and type of training and their preparation for nursing work. First year students reported the highest levels of satisfaction, and third year students the lowest. The majority of graduates and third year students thought that the programme only partly prepared them for work in nursing. The free text comments particularly highlighted concerns with the amount and quality of clinical education.

CONCLUSIONS

Programmes need to take account of the learning requirements of students to maximise the integration of theory and skill development in hospital environments with limited staffing and resources. The clinical environment and support received impact on the quality of learning and satisfaction of student nurses. Students who are dissatisfied with their educational and clinical experiences may choose to change their career direction.

Development and psychometric assessment of the undergraduate nursing student academic satisfaction scale (UNSASS)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To examine the psychometric properties of a newly developed instrument: The Undergraduate Nursing Student Academic Satisfaction Scale (UNSASS).

METHODS

A self-report test-retest questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 313 students enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program in Ontario, Canada.

RESULTS

The psychometric analysis yielded a 48-item multidimensional instrument. Validity testing revealed a content validity index (CVI) of .83. Factor analysis suggested a four-dimension scale with distinct factor loadings that all exceeded .4 and explained 50% of the variance. The scale had an overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .96 and a test-retest correlation coefficient of .88, indicating a highly reliable instrument.

CONCLUSIONS

The newly developed instrument provides a tool to comprehensively measure the satisfaction of nursing students with the academic aspects of their nursing programs.

You get what you measure: Assessing and reporting student satisfaction with their health and social care educational experience

Higher education institutions (HEIs) and national bodies are increasingly monitoring the satisfaction of their students with their educational experiences. Quantitative satisfaction surveys are often used, where HEI students rate the questionnaire items using Likert scale formats to express their perceived satisfaction. However, the literature shows considerable variations in how satisfaction has been gauged based on students' responses to such questionnaires. It is important to ascertain that methods used to gauge student satisfaction are appropriate. We explored the associations between the method employed in calculating the levels of student satisfaction with their educational experience and the emergent level of satisfaction. We employed data comprising 2650 module satisfaction questionnaires (18 items) from a University in the UK. Five common choices of satisfaction summary measures were tested: three different count summary measures; a sum summary measure; and a ratio summary measure. The 5 measures were correlated, but levels of student satisfaction varied widely according to the summary measure that was used. The behaviour of some satisfaction summary measures suggested that they might lack the ability to discriminate effectively between different levels of student satisfaction. We recommend the use of two summary measures and discuss the implications for research and practice.

Models of disability: their influence in nursing and potential role in challenging discrimination

AIM

This paper presents a discussion of medical and social models of disability associated with experiences of disabled people as citizens and patients.

BACKGROUND

Disability is fairly universally a negative concept. Disabled people have frequent contact with health services, however much of this experience is viewed as discriminatory.

DATA SOURCES

Literature was obtained using the Psych-INFO, Medline and CINAHL databases for the years 1989-2009, using derivatives of the concept 'disability' and associated 'models', and then these terms combined with 'nursing'.

DISCUSSION

Nursing as a profession embraces the need to avoid discrimination, yet disability as an equal opportunity issue is relatively neglected in nursing. Nursing has a moral, professional and, in some countries, a legal responsibility to promote disability equality in the provision of nursing services. Insights offered by the social model of disability may be instrumental in empowering nurses to respond to this obligation. While some groups may not be well-represented in this model and there is risk in embracing the social model of exposing a policy-practice divide, it nevertheless represents a powerful tool for strengthening nurses' advocacy role. In particular, 'social advocacy' may be enhanced by a paradigm shift away from the medical model of disability.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Nurses have an obligation to promote disability equality in relation to the provision of health care. Adoption of the social model of disability in nursing practice, education and research as a strategy to challenge discrimination should be seriously considered.

CONCLUSION

The utility value of the social model of disability in strengthening the social advocacy role of nurses should be investigated.

Is the health and wellbeing of university students associated with their academic performance? Cross sectional findings from the United Kingdom

This study explored the associations between health awareness, health behaviour, subjective health status, and satisfaction of students with their educational experience as independent variables and three outcomes of educational achievement as dependent variables. We undertook two simultaneous cross-sectional surveys among students from one University in the UK during 2008-2009. The first survey was a general health survey; the second survey measured students' satisfaction with different aspects of their learning and teaching experience. Students' registration numbers linked the responses of both questionnaires together, and subsequently linked the questionnaires to the university database to import the grades that students actually achieved in their studies. Generally, on average, students (N = 380) exhibited medium to high satisfaction with their educational experiences. In the multivariate regression analyses, students' satisfaction with their educational experiences was not associated with any of the three indicators of educational achievement (actual module mark; perceived own performance; importance of achieving good grades). The associations of educational satisfaction, health, health behaviours, heath complaints and financial parameters with the three outcomes of educational achievement did not differ between male and female students. Each of the health, health behaviours, health complaints and financial parameters were selectively associated with only some but not all three indicators of student educational achievement. We conclude that the findings support a conceptual framework suggesting reciprocal relationships between health, health behaviour and educational achievement. Comprehensive health promotion programmes may have the potential to influence relevant predictors of educational achievement in university students.

Adult student satisfaction in an accelerated RN-to-BSN program: a follow-up study

This mixed-method study revealed accelerated RN-to-BSN (bachelor of science in nursing) students' levels of satisfaction with a wide range of college services in a small university. Building on seminal research on the topic [Boylston, M. T., Peters, M. A., & Lacey, M. (2004). Adult student satisfaction in traditional and accelerated RN-to-BSN programs. Journal of Professional Nursing, 20, 23-32.], the Noel-Levitz Adult Student Priorities Survey (ASPS) and qualitative interview data revealed primary factors involved in nontraditional (adult) accelerated RN-to-BSN student satisfaction. The ASPS assesses both satisfaction with and importance of the following factors: academic advising effectiveness, academic services, admissions and financial aid effectiveness, campus climate, instructional effectiveness, registration effectiveness, safety and security, and service excellence. Of these factors, participants considered instructional effectiveness and academic advising effectiveness as most important and concomitantly gave high satisfaction ratings to each. In contrast, convenience of the bookstore, counseling services, vending machines, and computer laboratories were given low importance ratings. The participants cited convenience as a strong marketing factor. Loss of financial aid or family crisis was given as a reason for withdrawal and, for most students, would be the only reason for not completing the BSN program. Outcomes of this investigation may guide faculty, staff, and administrators in proactively creating an educational environment in which a nontraditional student can succeed.

Hardiness commitment, gender, and age differentiate university academic performance

BACKGROUND

The increasing diversity of students, particularly in age, attending university has seen a concomitant interest in factors predicting academic success.

AIMS

This 2-year correlational study examined whether age, gender (demographic variables), and hardiness (cognitive/emotional variable) differentiate and predict university final degree grade point average (GPA) and final-year dissertation mark.

SAMPLE

Data are reported from a total of 134 university undergraduate students.

METHOD

Participants provided baseline data in questionnaires administered during the first week of their second year of undergraduate study and gave consent for their academic progress to be tracked. Final degree GPA and dissertation mark were the academic performance criteria.

RESULTS

Mature-age students achieved higher final degree GPA compared to young undergraduates. Female students significantly outperformed their male counterparts in each measured academic assessment criteria. Female students also reported a significantly higher mean score on hardiness commitment compared to male students. commitment was the most significant positive correlate of academic achievement. Final degree GPA and dissertation mark were significantly predicted by commitment, and commitment and gender, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings have implications for universities targeting academic support services to maximize student scholastic potential. Future research should incorporate hardiness, gender, and age with other variables known to predict academic success.

Generational (age) differences in nursing students' preferences for teaching methods

A generational age transformation is occurring in nursing classrooms across the United States. Nurse educators need to prepare for the different values and expectations of students from Generation X and the newly emerging Generation Y in the educational environment. This quantitative, descriptive research begins to examine the preferences and expectations of these generations regarding teaching methods.

Measuring motivational orientations toward support-seeking: the development and predictive validity of the Motives for Tutorial Support-Seeking Questionnaire

The use of tutorial support as an effective proactive intervention programme mandatory for students who do not meet the admission criteria to some US universities, shows how important the factors that motivate students to seek support willingly really are. A factor analytically derived psychometric scale for assessing nursing students' motivational orientations toward support-seeking was developed. The Motives for Tutorial Support-Seeking Questionnaire (MTSSQ) is a composite academic risk assessment tool made up of three academically orientated subscales, namely, Expectancy, Internality and Worry. The MTSSQ derives its theoretical framework from the findings of previous work by Ofori and Charlton [Ofori, R., Charlton, J.P., 2002. A path model of factors influencing the academic performance of nursing students. Journal of Advanced Nursing 38 (5), 507-515] that suggest that the above motivational factors combine in exerting their effects upon nursing students' support-seeking behaviours and subsequent performance. The factor structure that emerged during factor analysis confirmed the existence of the three-factor structure while the data pertaining to the internal reliability of the three subscales and the MTSSQ in general suggest sound technical attributes. The MTSSQ is found not only to predict differences in support-seeking but also age difference and performance. The 35% variance in support-seeking explained by the MTSSQ is quite respectable, although statistically this appears to be mainly attributable to internality and worry. It is concluded that the MTSSQ promises to be useful in identifying nursing students who seek tutorial support willingly from those who do not and therefore has the potential to be used as an academic risk assessment tool. The practical implications of the present findings for nurse education are discussed.

What matters most? Predictors of student satisfaction in public health educational courses

The development of primary care trusts, the health protection agency, and non-medical public health (PH) specialists' pathways requires a competent PH workforce to be in place. Hence, the quality of education and training of PH workers is increasingly critical. With the diversity of courses and programmes that contribute to building a competent PH workforce, few studies have examined the satisfaction of students (and reasons for it) on educational PH programmes. The present study investigated the influences that four demographic variables (gender, disability, ethnicity and age bracket) and seven education-related variables (mode of study, academic term, academic level, pre-/postregistration status, entry qualification, qualification aim and class size) have on PH students' perceptions of satisfaction with 18 aspects of their learning. After controlling for the effects of the other variables, five variables explained 32% of the reported satisfaction levels. These were class size, study mode, qualification aim, pre-/postregistration status and academic level. Part-time students on postgraduate programmes are a particularly vulnerable group who may need extra support from PH educators and trainers. For these students, smaller class sizes could be beneficial, and if larger classes are inevitable, smaller group work sessions within the classes is advocated. Equally important is the availability of library resources required for learning, and course materials, handbooks and briefs need to be clear, informative, user friendly and available early in the course. Satisfied students achieved better final grades, reflecting an increased amount of transferable knowledge. The implications of the study findings for research and practice are discussed.

Determining student satisfaction in a nursing college

This study was carried out to determine the satisfaction and expectations of students in a nursing college in Turkey and is descriptive and prospective in nature. A student satisfaction scale developed by the researchers was used in this study. With no method of sampling employed, a total of 694 students attending the nursing college during the years of 1999, 2000 and 2001 were included in the study. The results showed that student satisfaction increased in 2001. Mean satisfaction score was high in the first year (x = 126) but decreased in the second year (x = 98). The third year was when the score reached its highest level (x = 128), and the fourth year was when it decreased to its lowest level (x = 95). The students included in this study strongly believed that there was room for improvement in the present education system, recreational activities and other services rendered by their college. Most of the students felt that the nursing college they were attending fell short of their expectations. Of note, many of them declared to have started nursing education as a last resort, that it was not their first choice, and that they did not score high enough in the university entrance exam to enable them to study a different subject.

What 'really' affects health professions students' satisfaction with their educational experience? Implications for practice and research

Student satisfaction has been widely recognised as an indicator of the quality of the students' learning and teaching experience. The aim of the study was to explore the extent to which student satisfaction is influenced by 13 demographic- and educational-related variables. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken (18-item questionnaire, 1660 questionnaires). Principal component analysis categorised the 18 items into four learning and teaching dimensions. Each of the 13 variables was analysed for its influence on student satisfaction generally and on the four dimensions individually, before and after controlling for all the other variables. After controlling for all the variables, none of the demographic characteristics was associated with satisfaction. Most of the educational variables exercised their own independent and significant effects on general satisfaction and on satisfaction with the four individual dimensions. Collectively, decreased satisfaction was associated with being a pre registration, full-time student, usually with A level entry qualifications, attending term two modules whose assessment/s comprised combined strategies. Decreased satisfaction was also significantly associated with larger class sizes as regards the student numbers and with attaining lower grades in the assessments. The demographic variables were not as influential as the educational ones as regards the affects on students' satisfaction. The implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.

Appraisal Skills as a Public Health Competency for Evidence-Based Care

With the demand for evidence-based practice, a greater need for health professionals' research expertise has emerged. Insufficient knowledge and inadequate competencies in research methods have been identified as barriers. Training endeavors to increase students' research awareness have been extensive. The study detailed in this article examines three research modules aimed at increasing health professionals' research knowledge. The effects that four demographic dimensions (gender, disability, ethnic group, and age bracket) and five educational parameters (academic term, mode of study, nature of module, qualification aim, and entry qualification) have on student contentment are investigated. According to these parameters, there were no differences in students' performance on the research modules. However, there were significant differences in satisfaction with the module administration, content, integration, and assessment procedures; the module team and university resources; and the module relevance and stimulation.

Evaluation of students' satisfaction with nursing education in Norway

BACKGROUND

The use of standardized questionnaires for measuring student satisfaction in higher education is motivated by theories predicting a close relationship between students' satisfaction and learning outcomes. The reliability and validity of the Course Experience Questionnaire as an indicator of teaching performance have been established by factor analysis in earlier studies from several countries. The Nursing Clinical Facilitators Questionnaire has been used for measuring satisfaction with clinical practice.

AIMS

The aims of this study were (1) to find out how satisfied nursing students in their last semester were with their clinical practice and the nursing programme as a whole, and (2) to measure the reliability and validity of the two standardized questionnaires.

METHODS

The data were collected using the two standard questionnaires, combined with some background items, in a survey design. Exploratory factor analysis was performed.

FINDINGS

A total of 276 nursing students from three university colleges in Western Norway answered the questionnaire in 1999/2000. The scores indicated slight overall dissatisfaction with the nursing programme, but general satisfaction with clinical practice. Furthermore, 70% of the students who expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the nursing programme were nevertheless satisfied with clinical practice. The broad constituent structure of the Course Experience Questionnaire was replicated, with some deviation for the appropriate assessment scale. The Nursing Clinical Facilitators Questionnaire turned out to have two subscales, representing supportive and challenging behaviour, with satisfactory internal reliability.

CONCLUSION

Annual evaluations using the two standardized questionnaires may result in greater focus being given to students' satisfaction with the nursing programmes and clinical practice in Norwegian nursing education departments. Comparative studies with the same instruments in other countries would also be of interest.