Factors influencing academic success among nurse anesthesia students

The admission process to nurse anesthesia programs is very rigorous. Students enrolled in nurse anesthesia education are academically and experientially prepared for graduate work. However, some students are not academically successful in the didactic learning phase of the program. There is limited research on academic success in the didactic learning phase of the nurse anesthesia program. There is a need to learn about academic success from the perspectives of students who have successfully passed the didactic learning phrase. To better understand the students' views on the factors influencing academic success in the didactic learning phase of the nurse anesthesia curriculum, a qualitative descriptive research design was conducted. A total of 14 participants were included in this study. All participants are students enrolled for at least 18 months in a nurse anesthesia school. A semi-structured interview questionnaire was used to gather data. The method proposed by Lundman and Graneheim was used for content analysis. Six themes emerged from the data analysis. The data showed factors that influenced academic success during the didactic portion of the NA education: (1) utilization of effective study strategies and methodology, (2) transition to deep learning behaviors, (3) integration of learning styles and technology, (4) consideration of individual teachers, (5) staying connected and (6) adjusting to being a NA student. These findings may be used for educators, nurse anesthesia leadership, and institutions offering nurse anesthesia education. Academic success is influenced by a combination of cognitive, noncognitive, and sociodemographic factors. In the didactic phase of NA education, noncognitive factors have shown to be a driver to the academic performance of t students. The findings of this study added new dimensions and perspectives to the body of research in NA education. The findings have implications for nurse anesthesia education, policy, practice, and future studies. Stakeholders involved in students' academic success during the didactic phase of the NA curriculum may develop plans to address factors contributing to academic success to assist students in their academic journey.