Barriers and Facilitators to Success in Undergraduate Nursing Education Among Minority Students

Abstract

Increasing diversity in the nursing workforce has been cited as key to decreasing long-standing health disparities in the United States. [1][2][3] Yet, Black, Hispanic/ Latinx, Native American, and Asian American nurses remain inadequately represented in the health care workforce. 4 Most recent data from the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (RNs) show that White, non-Hispanic RNs accounted for 73.3% of the RN workforce, followed by Hispanic/Latinx (10.2%), Black non-Hispanic/Latinx (7.8%), Asian non-Hispanic/Latinx (5.2%), and American Indian or Alaska Native non-Hispanic/Latinx (0.3%) RNs. 5 Although the number of underrepresented minority (URM) nurses in the US workforce has increased over time, these figures are not reflective of the demographic characteristics of the US population. 4,6,7 Mounting evidence shows that nursing workforce diversity is essential to the provision of high-quality care and culturally effective care. 1,8,9 This is particularly important in light of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native American communities-further magnifying existing health disparities among these groups. 5,[10][11][12] Therefore, assessing factors associated with success for URM students in nursing is an essential step toward removing barriers that hinder nursing workforce diversity and developing interventions that enhance successful academic outcomes (eg, retention) for this group.Graham et al 13 conducted an integrative literature review from 1985 to 2015 that focused on examining facilitators and barriers to success among URMs and highlighted academic factors that may affect retention in the nursing program. The authors identified specific barriers to students' success, including faculty practices and interaction with peers. To expand on this body of literature, our systematic review sought to appraise the current literature to provide a more current understanding of barriers and facilitators to

Countering Structural Racism through Alternative Approaches to Baccalaureate Nursing Education

“…We argue that the preference for the baccalaureate degree is a contemporary structure that maintains Eurocentric worldviews in nursing and perpetuates structural racism, both of which pose barriers for Black applicants pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing (Osakwe et al, 2022). Community colleges typically have a more diverse population of non-traditional students (characterized as financially independent and supporting dependents, lacking a high school diploma, and/or not entering college immediately after completing high school) (Petges & Sabio, 2020).…”

“…Community colleges typically have a more diverse population of non-traditional students (characterized as financially independent and supporting dependents, lacking a high school diploma, and/or not entering college immediately after completing high school) (Petges & Sabio, 2020). A recent systematic review of 14 cross-sectional and qualitative studies from 1999 to 2020 identified barriers to racial and ethnic minority nursing students' success in undergraduate nursing programs; these barriers included personal-level, school environment, home environment, and financial barriers (Osakwe et al, 2022). Personal-level barriers to success included fear, anxiety, a reduced sense of belonging, and/ or perceived marginalization.…”

“…pay tuition and meet family obligations (Osakwe et al, 2022). It is important to disrupt long-established Eurocentric worldviews of power and privilege that overlook documented barriers to the success of nontraditional students, who are often diverse.…”

Development and Implementation of an Academic and Professional Nursing Organization Partnership to Enhance Leadership Skills and Knowledge About HIV-Related Nursing Care Among Diverse, Prelicensure, Clinical Nurse Leader Scholars

“…Poor interactions with fellow students also cause minority students to feel less supported (Osakwe, et al, 2022; Williams et al, 2018). More specifically, not having a supportive mentor or lack of school-provided mentorship programs was a common theme in several studies (Metzger, Taggart, et al, 2020; Osakwe, et al, 2022; Williams, et al, 2018). Student success has been tied to environments that promote inclusivity and to those in which minority faculty and students are adequately represented among the population (Metzger, Dowling, et al, 2020; Williams, et al, 2018).…”

Exploring the Nursing Universal Retention and Success Model for Student Success in a School of Nursing

“…Many underrepresented minority (URM) students may be more at risk when enter nursing programs due to inequalities associated with secondary education in economically disadvantaged communities. 9,10 Studies also have shown that URM students face other obstacles or barriers (financial, work issues, childcare, family responsibilities, family crisis, lack of support, and transportation issues) outside of academics that contribute to higher rates of attrition among this group. 11,12 A recent review by Osakwe et al 9 revealed barriers or obstacles to be social isolation, caregiving demands, lack of mentorship, and inadequate financial resources.…”