Degrees of Success

Abstract

By the end of 2013, all programs leading to the registered nurse qualification in the United Kingdom will be at the bachelor's degree level. There is concern that all‐degree nursing education might threaten the diversity of the future nursing workforce in the United Kingdom.This article reports on a qualitative pilot study exploring the critical issues for access, recruitment, and retention of Black and minority ethnic (BME) students in U.K. nursing degree programs from the students' perspective. The study utilized action research, and this article reports on the first two stages of the action research cycle, problem identification and identification of actions. The data were collected through focus groups and interviews with BME students and then analyzed with iterative thematic analysis.The objective was to inform an action framework for U.K. universities devising access, recruitment, admission, and retention practice for BME students when U.K. nurse training becomes all degree.

Reflections on nurse education: past, present and future

“…At Bournemouth for example the most common age is between 21-30 and the range is from 18 to over 40. A lack of ethnic diversity has been a concern nationally but is improving (Johnson et al 2013). This is appropriate as such intakes better reflect the diversity of the population whom we serve.…”