Issues Influencing Success: Comparing the Perspectives of Nurse Educators and Diverse Nursing Students

Abstract

Nursing programs should encourage faculty to build relationships with diverse nursing students not only because students appreciate them, but also because such relationships play a role in helping students overcome hindrances to success. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(7):389-396.].

Factors That Affect the Success of Ethnically Diverse Nursing Students: An Integrative Review of the Literature

“…Undergraduate nursing students were included in the sample in nine studies; nursing faculty participated in four studies. The 10 publications investigate numerous issues that influence the nursing student experience, including social factors (Fettig & Friesen, 2014), academic factors (Donnell, 2015), teaching and learning (Greenfield, 2011;Fuller & Mott-Smith, 2017;Onovo, 2019), faculty development (Greenberg, 2013), students' lived experiences (James, 2018;Mulready-Shick, 2013), evaluation of student success strategies (Harris et al, 2014), and the learning environment (Gillespie et al, 2017).…”

“…Additional sources of psycho-emotional stress stem from perceived misconceptions about ethnically diverse students' abilities. Students told of feeling they were sometimes viewed as lacking intelligence because of their lack of English proficiency (Fuller & Mott-Smith, 2017;James, 2018;Mulready-Shick, 2013) and that they had to constantly prove that they were worthy of being in the program (Greenberg, 2013;James, 2018). The studies document that many students experience feelings of self-doubt.…”

“…In addition, they must work to overcome shyness and deal with feelings of awkwardness and embarrassment when required to speak in class (Mulready-Shick, 2013). Fuller and Mott-Smith (2017) found that CALD students' reluctance to communicate orally stemmed "not so much from their English ability but from the attitudes of the people they were speaking to" (p. 392). Dealing with these situations adds stress to an already emotionally and academically demanding program (James, 2018).…”

“…As mentioned above, students often feel self-conscious about their accent and ability to speak English, leaving them feeling shy or embarrassed (Mulready-Shick, 2013). This fear may prevent them from asking questions and seeking clarification in class (Fuller & Mott-Smith, 2017). In addition, their comfort level in speaking in front of groups may inhibit their ability to perform well during oral presentations (James, 2018;Mulready-Shick, 2013).…”

“…Pedagogy was the second theme that emerged from the review of academic factors that influence the success of ethnically diverse nursing students. Many students have difficulty with the traditional teaching and learning strategies employed in nursing classrooms (Fuller & Mott-Smith, 2017;Greenberg, 2013;Harris et al, 2014;James, 2018;Onovo, 2019;Mulready-Shick, 2013). The difficulties focus on the limited use of instructional methods that meet students' specific learning needs.…”