Date
5-23-2025
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
Chair
Verna LaFleur
Keywords
Adaptation, challenges, mentorship, nursing students, perception
Disciplines
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Callihan, Shirley C., "Undergraduate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Faculty Mentorship for Student Success in Persevering Toward Program Completion: A Qualitative Study" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6956.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6956
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative exploratory single case study is to explore the undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of faculty mentorship for student success in persevering toward program completion. The theory guiding this study is the Roy Adaptation Model (RAM) by Callista Roy, as it relates to nursing students' adaptation to the challenges in their environment through faculty mentorship. The central question is: What are undergraduate nursing students' perceptions concerning faculty mentorship for student academic success in persevering toward program completion? Convenience sampling was used to recruit ten participants who were undergraduate nursing students from a Registered Nursing program in the Associate of Applied Science in a Nursing Day program. The study employed a comprehensive data collection process, including interviews, focus groups, and reflective journals. Interviews were conducted in person or via online meetings, and were audio recorded for accuracy. The data were then meticulously analyzed by transcribing and viewing the audio-recorded interviews. Excel spreadsheet was used to sort, organize, and analyze qualitative data to create codes and identify themes and subthemes. Three themes emerged from the analysis: student perceptions of faculty mentorship, the influence of faculty mentorship on students, and students’ challenges or barriers. The study's findings provided positive and negative experiences of nursing students on faculty mentorship, which is beneficial in organizing formal or structured faculty mentorship, which requires training of both faculty mentor and mentees, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the faculty mentorship.