Why here and why stay? Students' voices on the retention strategies of a widening participation university.

Background: Whilst concern about nursing student retention remains a key priority of governments and educators, much research is focussed on determining the causes and experiences of withdrawal. Further work is required to understand the perspectives of those students who successfully negotiate their programme of study.

Objectives: The study aimed to explore student motivations, experiences and support requirements during their first year to determine the efficacy of institutional retention initiatives.

Developing a national computerised absence monitoring and management system to reduce nursing student attrition: evaluation of staff and student perspectives.

Background: Reducing avoidable nursing student attrition is an international challenge. A pattern of falling attendance is recognised as a frequent precursor to withdrawal from nursing programmes. To address concerns regarding nursing student attrition, the Scottish Government implemented a pilot project for a centralised Computerised Absence Management and Monitoring System (CAMMS).