• Arzu Ari.
• Division of Respiratory Therapy, School of Health Professions, College of Health and Human Sciences, Georgia State University, PO Box 4019, Atlanta GA 30302-4019, USA. aari1@gsu.edu
• Resp Care. 2009 Sep 1; 54 (9): 1187-92.

BackgroundRespiratory care education programs are being held accountable for student retention. Increasing student retention is necessary for the respiratory therapy profession, which suffers from a shortage of qualified therapists needed to meet the increased demand. The present study investigated the relationship between student retention rate and program resources, in order to understand which and to what extent the different components of program resources predict student retention rate.MethodsThe target population of this study was baccalaureate of science degree respiratory care education programs. After utilizing a survey research method, Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis.ResultsWith a 63% response rate (n = 36), this study found a statistically significant relationship between program resources and student retention rate. Financial and personnel resources had a statistically significant positive relationship with student retention. The mean financial resources per student was responsible for 33% of the variance in student retention, while the mean personnel resources per student accounted for 12% of the variance in student retention. Program financial resources available to students was the single best predictor of program performance on student retention.ConclusionsRespiratory care education programs spending more money per student and utilizing more personnel in the program have higher mean performance in student retention. Therefore, respiratory care education programs must devote sufficient resources to retaining students so that they can produce more respiratory therapists and thereby make the respiratory therapy profession stronger.

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