There are many factors that effect the post-secondary completion rate of Indigenous students. The Indigenous student completion rate is a reflection of the number of students entering post-secondary education but is significantly affected by withdrawal rates (institutional withdrawals and student voluntary withdrawals). In the Saskatchewan Polytechnic School of Nursing, the Indigenous student withdrawal rate was 4.2% higher than the total nursing student population. Lower success rates among Indigenous students is a concerning issue in nursing programs. Continuing to operate programs and teach in the same fashion is not improving success rates. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action (2012) highlighted the need to examine strategies and develop policies to enhance Indigenous student success. To this end, recent literature was reviewed to determine trends among Indigenous nursing students, their struggles, and more importantly, the successful strategies currently being implemented. Indigenous peoples are not a homogenous group; rather, they are a mosaic of cultures, languages and nations. The authors examined the literature to determine key factors that enabled or prevented the success of post-secondary Indigenous students. Twenty-one articles on current research regarding Indigenous student success facilitators and barriers were examined. These articles encompassed research from Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The purpose of this literature review was to identify themes and gaps, drive positive change in education, and guide future research. The research team found four common themes: academic preparedness, cultural safety, intrinsic student factors, and student support.
Background and aim: Indigenous students have a lower rate of post-secondary completion than non-Indigenous students. This is due to a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Current literature revealed a variety of concerns that were naturally divided under the themes of academic preparedness, cultural safety, intrinsic student factors, and student supports. This study examined the completion rates of Indigenous students within a nursing program, student associated success strategies, and predominant personal barriers to success. Using focus groups and interviews, the researchers examined the lived experiences Indigenous students at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Western Canada. Methods: A qualitative design using a phenomenological approach was utilized to gather data. Focus groups and interviews with Indigenous students were conducted to gather personal perspectives and experiences. This data was then coded and themed. Results: The results of this study identified various strategies and supports that advanced and promoted Indigenous student success along with numerous barriers that Indigenous students felt impeded their success within the nursing program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The themes in this study included academic preparedness, cultural safety, resolve/resilience, confidence, social expectations, and financial support. Conclusions: There is a need to expand and develop support systems that enable Indigenous students to improve academic completion rates. Building confidence and a sense of belonging are important factors in improving student success from post-secondary programs
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.