Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2026
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Regina Urban
Second Advisor
Leslie Jennings
Third Advisor
Daisha Cipher
Abstract
This article-based dissertation consists of two manuscripts related to the sources and perceptions of social support among undergraduate baccalaureate pre-nursing and nursing students. The first manuscript utilized a qualitative descriptive approach and explored the benefits and challenges related to social support in pre-nursing students. This unique population is understudied in nursing education and research related to social support in pre-nursing students is lacking. Analysis of the data revealed benefits of receiving social support such as comfort, assistance with practical needs, and motivation/confidence, as well as challenges associated with social support as a pre-nursing student such as lack of time, unrelatable experiences, and difficulty making connections. The results of this study indicated that social support is important and complex for students as they prepare to apply for nursing programs.
The second manuscript employed a convergent parallel mixed methods design to examine perceived social support among pre-licensure, campus-based nursing students at a large public university in the United States. Specifically, the study compared perceived social support between students in all four levels of the nursing program, and between first-generation college students and non-first-generation students. In addition, this study sought to identify and describe students’ primary sources of social support. Findings included sources measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) such as family, friends, and significant others, as well as sources not traditionally measured by this scale, including support from student organizations, student success, and faculty. Qualitative data further enhanced the findings with examples of support provided by each source.
This dissertation concludes with a discussion of the underlying theoretical framework connecting these two studies and their limitations, as well as implications for nursing education and recommendations for future research.
Keywords
Social support, Nursing education, Nursing students, Pre-nursing, Social determinants
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Mental and Social Health
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
George, Kelle N., "SOURCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG PRE-LICENSURE NURSING STUDENTS" (2026). Nursing Dissertations-Archive. 141.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/nursing_dissertations/141