The influence of intimate partnerships on nurse student progression: An integrative literature review

•A literature review is undertaken to investigate the influence of intimate partnerships on nurse student progression.•Partner support is crucial to successful progression for students in intimate partnerships across a range of disciplines.•Male partners of women students may be less supportive.•Few nursing studies consider this influence, those that do use a variety of definitions and measurements of key variables.•Projected workforce shortages and rising mature-age student numbers calls for studies in this area, using standardised approaches.

SummaryObjectiveTo identify the best available evidence on the influence of intimate partnerships (marriage or de facto relationships) on nurse student progression.BackgroundProjections of future nursing workforce shortages have provided renewed impetus to study pre-registration nurse student progression. Factors external to the university are highly influential for non-traditional student groups such as nursing. As the average age of nurse students' rise, the influence of intimate partnerships requires investigation.Data SourcesAn international integrative review was conducted in literature from 1990 to 2015 across a range of databases.Review MethodsA structured approach was used for data collection, analysis and evaluation, resulting in a selection of 17 international papers.ResultsThere were few common definitions, and little agreement regarding measurement of key factors and variables across the literature. Research into partnership influences on nurse student progression was minimal however findings across a range of disciplines revealed partner support as a principal influence; enabling or hindering the student's social and academic university involvement. Given that nursing is a highly feminised profession, the finding that support was less forthcoming from female students' male partners than vice versa was a particular concern. Women students reported challenging their partners' traditional domestic gender role expectations, which sometimes led, to relationship conflict and breakdown, further impeding their ability to progress.ConclusionLesser support from their male partners may have unwelcome implications for the progression of the increasing population of mature-age women nurse students. The comparatively few studies and their diversity limit the applicability of the review findings to current nurse education. With workforce sustainability threatened, studies directly investigating the influence of partnerships on nurse student progression are required, employing standardised and transparent terms and measurements.