Further research is needed to evaluate if pre-service attrition continues to increase with subsequent increases in new student enrolment.
Pre-service attrition among the cohort that enrolled between 1999 and 2004 and completed training by 2010 was found to be low (6%).
Compared to other sub-Saharan African countries that experience pre-service attrition between 10 and 40% [ 24], this study found that pre-service student nurse attrition in Kenya was low (6%).
Enrolment is defined as the first stage in nurse production.To assess pre-service attrition between training enrolment and registration with the NCK, data for a cohort that enrolled in training from 1999 to 2004 was analyzed.
Given the global nursing shortage and investments to scale-up the workforce, this study evaluated trends in annual student nurse enrolment, pre-service attrition between enrolment and registration, and factors that influence nurse production in Kenya.
To assess pre-service attrition between training enrolment and registration with the nursing council, data for a cohort that enrolled in training from 1999 to 2004 and completed training by 2010 was analyzed.
As PEPFAR seeks to support Kenya's scale-up of nurse training and education, this study identified specific factors that that influence nurse production - including challenges with students' clinical placements, a shortage of nursing faculty, limited physical infrastructure and, to a more limited extent, pre-service attrition.
While new student nurse enrolment doubled between 1999 and 2010, this study found pre-service attrition between enrolment and registration to be low but noted training institutions were strained by the increased numbers in terms of having adequate faculty capacity, clinical sites and mentorship, and student housing and classroom space.
Further research is needed to understand the factors causing such large variation in tutor-to-student ratios between nurse training institutions, factors contributing to Kenya's low level of pre-service attrition, and factors affecting Kenya's ability to recruit, hire and deploy these new nurses.
To that end, this study evaluated (1) trends in annual student nurse enrolment, (2) the level of pre-service attrition between enrolment and registration with the NCK, and (3) factors that influence training institutions' capacity to produce nurses as identified by nursing faculty.
At the top of the civil service the attrition rate will be even higher.
