Date Approved

10-19-2018

Embargo Period

10-21-2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Thompson, Carol C.

Committee Member 1

Lown, Maris

Committee Member 2

Santucci, Mary Ellen

Subject(s)

Nurses--Education

Disciplines

Higher Education | Nursing

Abstract

There is controversy surrounding the entry-level degree to the profession of nursing. This study had the focus of showing the persistence of the associate degree nursing student as a way of giving evidence to maintaining this pathway as entry to nursing. Narrative inquiry was used to interview 10 students and 3 faculty on the persistence of the nursing student. Callista Roy's Coping Adaptation Processing Scale was taken by 51 students enrolled in the same nursing program. The overarching themes of the student interviews were goals, learning environment, and admission criteria. The overarching theme as a result of the Coping Adaptation Processing Scale survey results was problem solving, which is in accordance with the ability of the associate degree nursing student to persist. The results of the study show the students enrolled in the 2-year associate degree program have the persistence to complete a rigorous curriculum. With problem solving skills and persistence, the associate degree nurse should remain as entry level to practice for the nursing profession.

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