VULNERABILITIES AND STUDENT PERMANENCE: SOCIOECONOMIC DIAGNOSIS OF NURSING STUDENTS

Abstract

Democratizing access to higher education requires methods that not only guarantee admission to educational institutions but also student retention, especially those in vulnerable contexts. To this end, universities must understand the social diversity of their students, recognizing the socioeconomic issues that permeate their lives and learning processes, in addition to implementing public policies to ensure retention and completion of their education. This article describes the experience of developing a socioeconomic questionnaire administered to nursing students at UERN. The instrument was designed considering four dimensions: Income, Housing, Food, and Transportation, exploring students' needs and vulnerabilities. Called "Socioeconomic Data - Teaching Pathfinders Project," the questionnaire yielded 93 responses from 136 enrolled students. The results enabled the construction of a socioeconomic profile of FAEN students and highlighted greater vulnerability regarding income and food criteria. Furthermore, the data were shared with the Office of the Provost for Student Affairs (PRAE/UERN) and the FAEN Management Unit, fostering institutional dialogue and the development of strategies aimed at student retention, including ensuring transportation for lunch and promoting the construction of university residences near the university.