Retaining the On-Line RN-to-BSN Nursing Student: Does Instructor Immediacy Matter?

Previous research has indicated that instructor immediacy is associated with student satisfaction, motivation, and improved learning outcomes. Few studies have examined instructor immediacy on retention rates and student success in the on-line setting, specifically within on-line RN-to-BSN programs. The purpose of this study is to determine if perceived instructor immediacy behaviors impact student retention rates and academic success in an on-line RN-to-BSN program in a rural central Pennsylvania university. The Student Perception Appraisal of Retention scale and an immediacy scale were administered via Internet survey to undergraduate nursing students in an on-line RN-to-BSN program. The current study found that instructor immediacy impacts both academic success and retention in an on-line RN-to-BSN program. Results of this study provide educators another tool for increasing retention and academic success. Increased levels of student success and retention as a result of instructor immediacy would provide institutions of higher education with active teaching strategies to ensure success for the RN-to-BSN on-line student resulting in improved retention and higher graduation rates.