Current Concerns of Nursing Students: Opportunities to Achieve Selected AACN Essentials

Background: Nursing students are preparing for practice amid unprecedented changes in educational practices and competencies, testing formats, and post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health care delivery. This study aimed to identify current student concerns and inform faculty interventions to support student success. Method: Three focus groups with 31 prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students from a South-Central United States public college of nursing explored concerns about education and practice transition. Results: Four themes emerged: (1) academic concerns (faculty turnover, curriculum challenges, and financial costs); (2) personal concerns (work-life balance and emotional stress); (3) internal protective factors (resilience and self-confidence); and (4) external protective factors (peer support and faculty mentorship). These findings aligned with Domains 9 and 10 in the AACN Essentials competencies for professional identity and personal development. Conclusion: Faculty should integrate stress management throughout the curriculum while maintaining academic rigor. Programs must balance technical competency with professional development and supporting students through targeted academic and personal support interventions.