Increasing the diversity of the healthcare workforce is often cited as a strategy for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. Colleges and universities are uniquely positioned to influence workforce diversity through their recruitment, admissions, and student support practices, and by partnering with community groups to improve the pipeline of underrepresented racial/ethnic (URE) students pursuing health careers and influence workforce diversity practices in healthcare institutions. In this article, the authors describe a multifaceted initiative implemented by the Academic Health Center (AHC) at the University of Cincinnati (UC) that sought to address each of these areas. The initiative was led by the dean of the College of Nursing and a professor from the College of Medicine, who served as co-principal investigators. Within the university, UC identified improving health disparities and workforce diversity as central to its mission, adopted holistic admissions practices, used social media to strengthen outreach to URE students, and created a diversity dashboard to monitor diversity efforts. Additionally, UC partnered with community groups to expand pipeline programs for URE students and worked with a community advisory board to engage the region's health systems in evaluating their workforce diversity efforts. Within the College of Nursing, the initiative resulted in increased applications from students at pipeline schools, a larger number of URE student admissions, and increased faculty diversity.
Research shows that holistic admissions review practices can increase diversity across students without decreasing the workforce preparedness and academic success of students. Therefore, many disciplines have readily adopted the widespread use of holistic admissions review. Despite its proven effectiveness in addressing student diversity, nursing has been slow to implement holistic admissions review. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the barriers to implementing holistic admissions review in nursing and the feasibility of adopting holistic admissions review across nursing programs. A biphasic qualitative research study was conducted with nursing deans from across the United States. Qualitative data collection consisted of two phases of focus group discussions conducted over a 3-month period. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The categories and subcategories identified in Phase 1 informed the discussion in Phase 2. One overarching category from Phase 1 was identified, which was the lack of nursing schools’ knowledge regarding holistic admissions review. Four subcategories also identified in Phase 1 included the need for better dissemination of evidence, the need for additional support from university leaders and administrators, the need for legal guidance to facilitate implementation of holistic admissions review, and ensuring appropriate resources to support the holistic admissions review process. Three categories emerged in Phase 2, which included everyone’s buy-in is required, the need for a model, and a need for training. The adoption of holistic admissions review in nursing may be feasible. However, certain barriers need to be overcome so that nursing schools can successfully take on this process. Therefore, five recommendations have been developed to assist nursing schools in the implementation of holistic admissions review. These recommendations include increasing knowledge and understanding of holistic admissions review among nursing deans; obtaining buy-in and support for holistic admissions review and conducting a self-assessment of current admissions practices; providing nursing administrators, faculty, and staff with diversity training; and conducting further research to identify factors most critical for success in nursing. Although the transition to a holistic admissions process requires some effort, arming ourselves with the appropriate tools will mitigate barriers during implementation.
Health profession schools use interviews during the admissions process to identify certain non-cognitive skills that are needed for success in diverse, inter-professional settings. This study aimed to assess the use of interviews during the student admissions process across health disciplines at schools in the United States of America in 2014. The type and frequency of non-cognitive skills assessed were also evaluated. Descriptive methods were used to analyze a sample of interview rubrics collected as part of a national survey on admissions in the health professions, which surveyed 228 schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and public health. Of the 228 schools, 130 used interviews. The most desirable non-cognitive skills from 34 schools were identified as follows: communication skills (30), motivation (22), readiness for the profession (17), service (12), and problem-solving (12). Ten schools reported using the multiple mini-interview format, which may indicate potential for expanding this practice. Disparities in the use of interviewing across health professions should be verified to help schools adopt interviews during student admissions processes.
The summer bridge was effective in preparing nursing students for the first year of college. Through holistic evaluation, unique aspects of socialization critical to student success were uncovered.
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