Academic Habits Shaping Success in Prelicensure Nursing Students

BACKGROUND: Academic nurse educators seek effective strategies to enhance student learning, retention, and readiness for practice. Understanding the academic habits of senior prelicensure nursing students provides insight into factors that promote success during the most rigorous semesters. METHOD: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted at a mid-sized public university in the southeastern United States. Eleven senior nursing students participated in semistructured interviews exploring learning strategies, study habits, and experiences with academic rigor. RESULTS: Thematic analysis revealed three interrelated themes: (1) reflection; (2) belonging, and (3) perception. Reflection encompassed introspection and actualization; belonging reflected support at micro (peer and faculty) and macro (institutional and professional) levels; and perception described self-awareness shaped by academic and social environments. CONCLUSION: Together, these themes form a dynamic cycle that illustrates how reflection fosters belonging, belonging strengthens positive perception, and perception encourages reflective adaptation, offering educators evidence-based strategies to promote resilience, engagement, and professional identity in nursing students.