Student Nurses Perception of Poor Academic Performance in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This research was conducted to examine the causes of poor academic performance by student nurses in the Bayelsa State School of Nursing in Nigeria, using the descriptive survey. The population consisted of 206 student nurses. As a result of their small size, they were all adopted for the study. However, only a total of 201 of the student nurses who completed their questionnaires participated in the study. A researcher-designed instrument named 'Student Nurses' Academic Performance Questionnaire' (SNAPQ) was employed in generating data for the study. The instrument was validated and a reliability index of 0.87 was obtained. The instrument was analyzed using simple percentages and t-test statistics. Results showed that the five perceived causes of poor academic performance among student nurses included: giving the students too many assignments, parents' inability to provide all the text books needed, student nurses lacking all their basic needs, lack of library and internet facilities and students' inability to understand the science subjects. The t-test employed showed a statistically significant difference in students nurses' perception of causes of poor academic performance on the basis of class level. The recommendations included provision of counselling services for the students and teachers, restructuring the nursing curriculum and reducing the number of assignments given to the students by their teachers, students' formation of study groups, provisions of library and internet facilities, amongst others.