1. ASPIRATION BUILDING AMONG NURSING STUDENTS CAROLE DONALDSON LECTURER IN NURSING KEELE UNIVERSITY

2. Question How adequately do new programmes of combined vocational-professional-academic study actually cater for aspirations already raised when nursing students enter university? Study this at three levels.

3. Levels of Aspiration Macro – National Meso – University Micro - Individual

4. MACRO- NATIONAL LEVEL Royal college of Nursing Risen from vocational apprentiship Disparity with diploma and degree entry, entry qualifications and funding Same entry on professional register Same job prospects/ salary Balancing academic and professional requirements

5. Meso – University level Interprofessional learning – integration with medical and physio students aspiring equality with other professional allied to medicine – reality often different Traditional hierarchies still prospering academically Poor integration due to split site, lack the holistic university experience Balance between academic, vocational, professional and family commitments within the curriculum Responsibility for meeting quality standards of the local purchaser

6. Micro – Individual level Social class, often working class have traditionally not aspired to pursue HE, rather FE collages (Prof David) “Familial Habitus” Lack of exposure to HE by other family members, uncertainty, unfamiliarity, do we accommodate this? Economic dependence – Strategic learners, due to income generation

7. ATTRITION Surprisingly NMC stopped recording national attrition rates when they took control from the UKCC in 2002. Royal Collage of Nursing estimate national attrition rates at 12-14% Keele only hold quantitative date, 6% attrition 2002-2003 Clarion call for standardising attrition rates nationally

8. REASONS FOR ATTRITION Literature review found few studies solely conducted in England. Study by Kevern et al (1999), found that the majority of students left within the first year the highest proportion of these students having gained entry via BTEC or Access qualifications Ehrenfield and Tabak (2000) also found poor academic entry qualifications as the biggest contributor to attrition within their study conducted in Israel Students recruited to Keele School of Nursing 2002- 2003, 30% gained entry to diploma course via access courses

9. Continued Kevern et al (1999) by age younger students tended to drop out of the course, education and age were important predictors of achievement, with well-qualified entrants and mature women with recent study experience performing well overall. Marriot (1991) discordance between learned theory and care experienced within clinical environment increased stress among students, may contribute to attrition rates. This is an area that requires urgent research

10. Conclusion Would an all graduate nursing profession assist in achieving aspirations at all levels? Or would it simply exclude entrants with less academic ability who may prosper clinically, leading to a significant shortfall in the future nursing workforce?