The “five senses of success” in nursing students: Assessing first-year support engagement

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to identify School and University support services available and accessed by nursing students transitioning into a university environment as many struggle to adjust to competing demands of personal commitments and expectations at university. Methods A mixed methods design was used, based on activity theory and Lizzio's Five Senses of Success frameworks as exploratory guides. This study was conducted amongst the first year cohort at one campus of the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program in Queensland, Australia. An initial baseline assessment of what University and School-based support services were on offer for students, and how the students interacted with the support services was conducted. This was followed by a survey to identify awareness and access to support services. Focus groups were then conducted to clarify the previous results and to determine engagement with these support services. Results A randomly selected number of students ( n = 150) in the first-year 2014 cohort of the BN program ( n = 300) were included in this study. The survey was completed by 54 students and three semi-structured focus groups were conducted. The analysis indicated that the support services in place were successful in reaching the majority of students and contributed to their sense of success at university. Specifically students identified that a whole cohort approach to support enhanced their transition to university. Conclusion Identifying lesser known services early in the first year will ensure that students are supported and encouraged to use all services, contributing to their sense of success at university.

The Listening Project: A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Pre-Registered Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Scotland

“…According to the five senses of student success model, students who are proactive in navigating the challenges of their whole university experience, with stronger connection with university and who are better prepared for university through mastering of knowledge and skills tend to be more successful in their education (Lizzio, 2011). Therefore, students who develop a sense of capability, connectedness, and resourcefulness tend to be more successful in their academics, more satisfied, and persistent with their studies (Zimmerman et al, 2019).…”

“…At the beginning of the pandemic, many organizations canceled clinical placements due to a shortage of PPE and the high risk of infection (Carolan et al, 2020). But in some countries, work gets challenging and will find their study more rewarding and will inform their approaches towards academic success and positive relationships with other students and staffs (Zimmerman et al, 2019).…”

“…The quality of skills the student acquired in classes and student preparation is essential in ensuring quality and successful nursing care provision, especially in dealing with critical situations (Porter, 2013). Aligned with the sense of capability of the student success model, the ability of the student to understand their role as student learner and mastering of academic knowledge and skills including their own expectations is essential in student's preparation for the higher education environment and ability to commit to study (Zimmerman et al, 2019).…”

“…In the context of this study, the student success model suggests that succeeding in the university includes mastering of core concepts, theories and practical skills in nursing that enable the students to perform confidently in giving care to the patients and navigate distance learning during the pandemic (Pownall et al, 2021). Previous literature clearly emphasized that student's transition to higher education can be challenging because of the need to adjust and adapt to the university ways of learning, academic workloads, and meeting academic standards and expectations, which is exacerbated by the current pandemic (Pownall et al, 2021;Zimmerman et al, 2019). The findings of this study shows both positive and negative effects of the pandemic on the student's capability as manifested on their confidence and perceptions of their learning process.…”

Atenção psicossocial no ensino superior: implicações para as vivências acadêmicas dos estudantes de graduação

“…A transição do Ensino Médio para o Ensino Superior pode ser considerada difícil para os jovens em razão dos diferentes estilos de aprendizagem oferecidos por diferentes professores; das expectativas acadêmicas; e da alta carga de trabalho. As experiências acadêmicas do ensino médio, como reprovações, sentimento de fracasso e o histórico de ensinoaprendizagem obtido, interferem no desempenho alcançado no vestibular, na escolha do curso e nas próximas vivências acadêmicas (ZIMMERMAN et al, 2019).…”