Effects of Peer Mentorship on Academic Performance Among Bachelor of Science Nursing Students in Kenyan Universities

Abstract

Background: Peer mentoring is one of the most effective interventions that have demonstrated ability to ease university transition and promote positive outcomes including better student performance. The study sought to examine the effects of peer mentorship on nursing students’ academic performance in Kenya.Methods: The study was a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design using quantitative means of data collection. It was conducted in 4 sampled Kenyan universities offering Bachelor of Science in Nursing that included University of East Africa Baraton, Uzima, Great Lakes University of Kisumu and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. 50 third year students were trained and mentored 301 second years in 3 universities .1 university having 85 second year students served as a control group. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social sciences version 28. Descriptive statistics were used to understand student distribution in universities. Paired-samples t-test and independent t test were used to establish relationship within and between groups.Results: Clinical scores of experimental group compared control group indicated t=-7.5041, P≤ .05 thus implying that the means of the two groups were significantly different. Results of classroom scores between the experimental and control groups were t=14.8713, P≤.05, indicating statistical difference in the means. The pre and post results in clinical and class scores of experimental group indicated significant results with t=27.72, P=≤ .05 and with t=18.01, P=≤ .05 respectively. On the other hand, Pre and post results of clinical control and clinical experimental results indicated insignificant results of t=-0.60, P≥ .05 and t=0.96, P≥ .05 respectively.Conclusion: The study concluded that peer mentorship affects positively student academic performance and recommends use of peer mentorship to support students and inform policy.