One in four trainee nurses are dropping out of degree courses with most citing financial pressures.
Out of 19,566 nursing students due to finish three-year degrees in 2018, 4,695 left early or suspended their studies.
The Health Foundation analysis for Nursing Standard magazine found the rate compared with one in 20 students across all courses.
Dame Donna Kinnair of the Royal College of Nursing said a “lack of financial support” was key.
Charlotte Hall, 23, started a degree in children’s nursing while living at home in Buckinghamshire in 2014. She said financial pressures, bad placement experiences and lack of university support led her to quit after a year.
She added: “The financial issue is common to other nursing students.”
Nursing Standard editor Flavia Munn said: “Behind these figures are the personal struggles of students who felt they had no option but to quit. The place to start to curb this exodus is better financial support.”
The Tories cut nursing bursaries in 2016, causing a 30% fall in applications in England – where there are 40,000 job vacancies.
