Analysis of nursing programme completion rates in a southwestern Colombian university

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine the graduation rate of a nursing programme and to explore the factors that contribute to or hinder the successful completion of the programme. The research adopted a descriptive approach, using a sample of students enrolled in and graduating from a nursing programme at a university in the southwestern region of Colombia, from 2012 to 2021. Data for the study were obtained from the university's academic records, meticulously organised and analysed using Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets. The analytical process involved extensive descriptive statistical analysis, including frequency tables, indices and proportions. The ethical considerations of the study were duly addressed, with formal approval from the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health, as documented in Law No. 05 of 22 April 2022. The cumulative graduation rate for the nursing programme for the period 2017 to 2021 was 37.9%. In addition, the study provided insights into the graduation rates for specific cohorts, with the following findings: for the cohort from 2012 to 2017, the rate was 18.2%; for the cohort from 2013 to 2018, the rate reached 32.3%; the cohort from 2014 to 2019 recorded a rate of 37.1%; similarly, the cohort from 2015 to 2020 recorded a rate of 40.5%, while the most recent cohort from 2016 to 2021 achieved a rate of 43.3%. Further examination of the data revealed that certain academic and socio-economic-personal factors significantly influenced successful completion of the programme. These included a strong affinity with the programme's "vocation of service to humanity" and crucial family support in a spiritual context. Looking at the cumulative and cohort-specific completion rates, it became clear that the attrition rate, which includes students who either partially or completely withdrew from the programme during their studies, was over 50%.