Helping students thrive: Examining the impact of peer mentorship-based approach to retention for intended baccalaureate nursing students

Abstract

This mixed-methods explanatory study examined the impact of peer mentoring on the retention of first-year intended nursing students enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at East Carolina University (ECU). Grounded in the Nursing Universal Retention and Success (NURS) model and the theory of student thriving, the study aimed to determine if peer mentoring effectively promotes student persistence and thriving among freshmen nursing students identified as needing additional support. The Brief Inventory of Thriving (BIT) was utilized as an early warning tool and administered pre- and post-intervention. Quantitative results indicated mentoring positively influenced nursing student retention, particularly enhancing students’ sense of belonging and connection to campus resources and activities. However, retention rates between intervention and control groups were similar, suggesting mentoring benefits students broadly rather than exclusively those identified as non-thriving. Four BIT components: life satisfaction, flow, support, and belonging, showed promise as indicators predictive of student stop-out, with students failing to thrive in these categories more likely to discontinue. Qualitative findings from participant interviews affirmed that mentor-mentee relationships significantly influenced student engagement and retention, especially when mentors shared similar academic backgrounds. Nevertheless, mentees perceived variability in mentor quality, noting that less committed mentors limited the intervention's effectiveness. These findings reinforce that peer mentoring can effectively enhance nursing student retention and provide holistic support for intended nursing students.