Beyond orientation: Evaluation of student lifecycle activities for first-year Bachelor of Nursing students

Abstract

Background: The first year experience has been identified as a key indicator of student success in the higher education environment. Co-curricular activities that support the transition and engagement in university life are key to this, hence a number of initiatives are provided for students to engage in. Method: To assess the value of co-curricular activities to supportthe first year student experience, an evaluation of Orientation and Common Time experience for Bachelor of Nursing students in a metropolitan university was undertaken using Lizzio’s Five Senses of Success as a framework. Findings: The evaluation demonstrated that supporting students beyond the Orientation Day can significantly increase participating students’ confidence in their senses of resourcefulness, capability and academic culture. Conclusion: The ongoing integrationof co-curricular initiatives intoundergraduateprograms is supported. Summary of relevance: The orientation experience of first-year university students has been well explored, but little has been reported about the efficacy of a dedicated co-curricular program once study has commenced. This is particularly true for undergraduate students studying nursing at university. This paper evaluates the co-curricular activities of the Bachelor of Nursing program at an Australian university to support the transition of undergraduate students and their confidence in engaging in the tertiary environment.