The influencing factors of absenteeism among nursing students

Abstract

The absence of nursing students from classrooms and clinical has a negative impact on their performance and prolongs the length of their studying. The aim of this study is to identify the influencing factors of absenteeism among nursing students at Minia University. This study was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing at Minia University, and Minia University Hospitals. The sample of students that participated in the study represented all academic levels as follows: first level 49/370, second level 49/292, third level 52/248, and fourth level 50/220. Data were collected with the use of a self-administered questionnaire. This study revealed that influencing factors of absenteeism among the studied nursing students indicated that the highest mean scores were associated with teaching factors, followed by assessment factor where means scores were (18.3 ± 4.5, and 17.1 ± 5.6, respectively). Also, the lowest mean score reported was associated with social problems (mean = 8.9 ± 3.2). This study concluded that the most common contributory factors in student absenteeism were related to teaching factors including a shortage of staff in the clinical area, and lack of understanding of the lecture content. Recommendations: Providing a safe learning environment, keeping accurate records of attendance and calculating absenteeism rates at frequent intervals are required for identifying each individual's pattern of attendance.

Factors influencing high absenteeism rate of student nurses in clinical areas at a nursing college in the Lejweleputswa District

“…In the findings in this study on work overload as a reason for student absence, 89.4% of the respondents agreed. This corresponds with the finding by Abdelrahman and Abdelkade (2017:67) that one of the reasons why students were absent in the clinical areas was work overload. In the study by Mothobi (2017:82), students indicated that staff members were inhuman towards them, thus encouraging absenteeism.…”

Investigating the reasons for students’ attendance in and absenteeism from lecture classes and educational planning to improve the situation

“…In the present study too, the teaching method was considered as the main reason for missing classes due to generational preferences and was further reviewed. Abdelrahman and Abdelkader[ 8 ] showed that nursing students too attributed the main reasons for their absenteeism to educational factors, including a lack of staff in the clinical field and a lack of understanding of the lecture's content. The present study considered another factor to be more critical by considering the empowerment of the professors.…”

“…[ 7 ] For example, nursing students’ absenteeism from classes adversely affects their performance and prolongs their duration of the study. [ 8 ] Absenteeism also prevents them from accessing relevant information and contact with relevant materials (clinical skills, lectures, and practical sessions) necessary for active learning. [ 9 ] Medical physiology education also states that classroom lectures should be considered an essential component.…”

Attitude of Nursing Students Towards Work in the Clinical Learning Environment

“…It reduces the phobia of carrying out procedures on humans as they practice hands-on-patients as against the models used in nursing laboratories. However, regular attendance to work has been a challenge despite an expected percentage of attendance set by most training institutions (Abdelrahman & Abdelkader, 2017;Nawaz, Hussain, Sarwar, Afzal, Gilani, 2018). Chukwu et al (2017) argue that student nurse attendance during training is mandatory because it is a crucial requisite in the training and influences the learning outcomes and professionalism.…”