Undergraduate thesis.

This study aimed to explore the learning experiences and coping strategies of non-STEM nursing students at City University of Pasay, Universal College of Paranaque, and St. Dominic College of Asia during the academic year 2023-2024. The study aimed at looking into the niche cohort of students who do not belong to the STEM field and explore the strategies the participants used to combat the challenges they faced in this program. Using a qualitative research design, specifically phenomenological research design used in this study to portray the people{92}s lived experiences of an idea or a phenomenon, which are the students who are non-STEM in their senior high years, which focused on discovering and evaluating what all participants have in common as they experience a series of events. Through purposive sampling, five respondents from each school were selected based on their status as third-year nursing students with a non-STEM background from senior high school, with a passing grade and not a transferee. Ethical considerations were important, ensuring participants{92} safety, confidentiality, and voluntary participation. The researchers obtained informed consent from participants and ensured transparency in data handling and analysis. The participants were interviewed using focus group discussion in a virtual set up through google meet. Thematic Analysis was used in analyzing the qualitative data to identify themes or patterns in the data that are important or interesting then analyze and summarize it to make an interpretation. The findings aimed to provide insights into the challenges encountered by the participants and recommended educational support and intervention strategies to enhance their academic journey. In conclusion, this study contributes to the understanding of non-STEM nursing students{92} experiences and provides valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and support services to better assist these students in achieving academic success and resilience in their nursing education. In this research, by thorough examination of the study and coping mechanism used by the non-STEM nursing students, this research would contribute to nurture a more diverse and inclusive nursing workforce which can bridge the interdisciplinary gap effectively. Furthermore, this research tends toward future research ideas in nursing education. This research, therefore, can serve a foundational component in the development of additional studies on the long-term impact of non-STEM nursing graduates and what might be the most effective interventions for the academic and professional success of such students.