Inclusivity in Baccalaureate Nursing Education: A Scoping Study

Minority Student Perspectives of Barriers, Supports, and Christian Virtues in an Undergraduate Christian Nursing Program

ABSTRACT

Diversity and inclusion are critical priorities in nursing education programs. Literature has focused on minority student experiences of barriers and supports-but not through a Christian worldview. This qualitative study using a phenomenological-hermenuetic approach gave voice to the experiences of 15 self-identified minority student graduates from a Christian baccalaureate nursing program. Data analysis revealed opportunities for growth in providing a supportive climate within the program and how Christian virtues of hospitality, humility, and reconciliation can be employed to achieve this goal.

Perspectives of Ethnically and Racially Diverse Nurse Faculty on the Success of Ethnically and Racially Diverse Nursing Students

BACKGROUND

Ethnically and racially diverse (ERD) nursing students experience unique challenges in the educational environment. Existing research on perspectives of ERD nurse faculty, with emphasis on their perceptions of the factors that support the academic success of ERD nursing students is limited.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that contribute to the success of ERD nursing students as perceived by ERD nurse faculty.

METHODS

This qualitative study was conducted utilizing a focused ethnography design and methodology, with the theoretical underpinning of Critical Race Theory.

RESULTS

Twelve themes emerged relating to support, resources, relationships, faculty hiring practices, program structure, instructional content, flexibility, and culture of the educational environment.

CONCLUSIONS

The perspectives of ERD nurse faculty provide an essential body of information that program administrators, faculty, and staff can utilize to positively impact the academic success of ERD nursing students.

Applying intersectionality to address inequalities in nursing education

AIM

The aim of this paper is to discuss the significance of the intersectionality framework for addressing prejudices, racism and inequalities in nursing education and clinical learning environments.

BACKGROUND

Discrimination and racism against nursing students and educators based on their gender, ethnicity, race and social identities is well-documented in the nursing literature. Despite documented discrimination and incivility based on intersectional factors, it is reported that often nurse educators show limited interest in the culture, diverse experiences and values of nursing students with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

DESIGN

Discussion paper METHODS: The discussion was based on contemporary literature about intersectionality, discrimination and racism in nursing. We completed a cursory search of literature in nursing education journal and selected nursing and health science databases. This was not a formal literature review. Using a fictional example, the application of intersectionality to address inequalities in educational settings is illustrated.

RESULTS

Intersectionality is an invaluable tool for examining interwoven power relations and power struggles arising from racial, gender, ethnic, religious and sexuality and disability-related differences. Nurse educators, students and leaders should be more cognizant of their preconceived views, sociocultural stereotypes and varied forms of sociocultural oppression affecting their interactions with each other in clinical learning environments.

CONCLUSIONS

Incorporating intersectionality can address prejudices, racism and inequalities arising due to sociocultural, ethnic, power-related and intergenerational issues among educators, students and other personnel involved in creating clinical learning environments.

Students' evaluation of professional experience placement quality in a pre-registration nursing programme: A cross-sectional survey

AIM

To evaluate the quality of student nurses' experiences and overall satisfaction with professional experience placements at a regional Australian University.

BACKGROUND

Professional experience placements are a crucial component of pre-registration nursing programs. However, the absence of standardised approaches to assess placement quality has created uncertainty on what constitutes a high-quality placement from a student's perspective.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional survey was administered online to 800 second and third year undergraduate nursing students at an Australian university. The survey contains demographic questions (e.g., year of study, placement specialty, duration, setting and geographic location), a validated Placement Evaluation Tool and free-text comments. The Placement Evaluation Tool is a 20-item questionnaire that measures two key factors: clinical environment (factor 1), learning support (factor 2) and overall satisfaction of students' learning experiences during a professional experience placement. A descriptive analysis was conducted to evaluate the student's overall experience and satisfaction. Multivariate linear regression was used to assess the relationship between the quality of the student experience and demographics and presented as beta coefficient (β) and confidence interval (CI). Free-text comments were thematically analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 1104 survey responses were received (as students may rate more than one placement), with an estimated 71% response rate. Most responses (60.3%) were third-year students. Most students experienced high-quality placements, reflected in the overall positive placement experience (PET item 1-19 score: mean 85.9 out of 95) and high student satisfaction (PET item 20: mean 8.53 out of 10). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that the third year of study and public facilities were independent predictors of positive student experiences (β: 2.61, 95% CI: 0.75, 4.47 and β: 3.72, CI: 0.90, 6.55, respectively). Further analysis of PET items related to factor 1 and factor 2 revealed that high positive experiences in public facilities may be due to the higher learning support (β: 2.54, CI: 0.80, 4.27). Three main themes were perceived to be important to students' professional experience: (i) staff and facilitator attitudes, (ii) learning opportunities and (iii) a team-based learning environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Most students reported high-quality placement experience and high satisfaction; however, a lack of learning support may contribute to less positive student experiences. This finding emphasises the importance of collaboration between clinical facilities and educational institutions to enhance the student's placement experience.

Overcoming Marginalization by Creating a Sense of Belonging

Marginalization encompasses structural, interpersonal, and intergroup dynamics that perpetuate inequality and exclusion. This manuscript advocates that the solution to marginalization lies in fostering a sense of belonging. Belonging is a fundamental human need, critical for mental well-being, academic success, and personal growth. It significantly impacts engagement, retention, and overall development, especially in health professional education settings like nursing schools. When individuals feel they belong, they are more likely to seek support, engage actively in learning, and perform better academically. However, achieving a sense of belonging is not straightforward, and many challenges at both individual and institutional levels hinder its realization. Individual challenges include resistance to change, implicit biases, and lack of awareness of the disparities caused by marginalization. Institutional challenges include insufficient commitment, inadequate resource allocation, and lack of representation from marginalized groups. In the United States, recent legislation obstructing initiatives toward diversity, equity, and inclusion poses additional obstacles. To overcome these challenges and promote belonging, this manuscript offers strategies that highlight the importance of aligning institutional values with policies and practices, recognizing and rewarding inclusive efforts, and actively seeking diverse perspectives.

Linguistic Modification When Developing Case Studies: An Integrative Review

BACKGROUND

Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds experience language barriers that influence their progression through nursing programs. Linguistic modification is a strategy that eliminates unnecessary wording and cultural bias to improve learning outcomes for students from diverse backgrounds. This integrative review adds to the knowledge of best practices in linguistic modification that can be applied to designing case studies for nursing students with diverse backgrounds.

METHOD

A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted in scholarly scientific databases from 2002 to the present.

RESULTS

Twenty-three articles discussed linguistic modification or summarized previous literature. Only four research studies were found pertaining to linguistic modification for culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students. Faculty and student practices that ameliorated language barriers were identified.

CONCLUSION

The use of linguistic modification throughout a nursing curriculum creates an inclusive learning environment. Further research is needed on linguistic modification in nursing education. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(9):495-501.].

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

ABSTRACT

Historically, racial discrimination, few role models, and a general lack of support both in academic and professional contexts has hindered the education and career advancement of minority nursing students. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), in its G uiding Principles for Academic-Practice Partnerships , describes the creation of an academic-professional nursing organization partnership to address barriers to the success of nursing students from underrepresented groups. In keeping with the AACN's guiding principles, the University of Maryland School of Nursing and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) developed a partnership to deliver a multifaceted program for prelicensure, second-degree, Master of Science in Nursing, Clinical Nurse Leader Scholars which prepares them to address the health care needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and bolsters student leadership knowledge and skills. The objective of this article is to describe the program components, outcomes, and lessons learned from this academic-professional nursing organization partnership. The approach described may be useful for future partnerships designed to enhance leadership experiences and skills for minority nursing students and will hopefully be used to advocate for their success.

The High School to Higher Education Pipeline Program: A focus on Black male representation in nursing

BACKGROUND

Increasing the number of Black men in nursing can enhance racial, ethnic, and gender diversity within the nursing workforce. However, there is a lack of nursing pipeline programs that specifically focus on Black men.

PURPOSE

The purposes of this article are to describe the High School to Higher Education (H2H) Pipeline Program as an approach to increasing representation of Black men in nursing and to describe H2H Program participants' perspectives of the program after the first year.

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative approach was used to explore Black males' perceptions of the H2H Program. Twelve of the 17 program participants completed questionnaires. Data collected were analyzed to identify themes.

FINDINGS

Four themes emerged during data analysis regarding the participants' perspectives of the H2H Program: 1) Coming to realize, 2) Managing stereotypes, stigma, and social norms, 3) Making connections, and 4) Expressing gratitude.

CONCLUSION

Results indicated that the H2H Program provided participants with a support network that fostered a sense of belonging. The H2H Program was beneficial for program participants in their development and engagement in nursing.

A concept analysis on the transfer climate in health sciences education

The transfer of learning is complex, with factors such as transfer climate influencing students' transfer of learning. This transfer climate will shape a student's experiences during work-integrated learning and can be modified to enhance the transfer of learning. However, studies on transfer climate are mainly reported from a human resource development context and the outcomes may not be transferable to health sciences education. Furthermore, there is no uniformity in defining and measuring transfer climate. Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis approach was used to describe the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of a positive transfer climate. An information specialist assisted in developing a Boolean search string and searched 15 databases to identify relevant sources. In total, 156 relevant articles were selected from 1448 sources. Data were charted and thematically analyzed. Antecedents comprise interpersonal relationships and theory-practice correlation. The presence of student support, training programs, student characteristics, clinical facilitator characteristics and a well-resourced clinical environment are the attributes of a positive transfer climate and act as learning transfer mediators. Transfer climate consequently influences student, educational, and organizational performance. A conceptual definition for transfer climate was then proposed. It was subsequently concluded that developing competent healthcare professionals and providing support to students depend on the synergy and good working relationship between health services and educational institutions. The insights into modifiable elements to enhance transfer climate could benefit health sciences educators in reconsidering their clinical training models to ensure sufficient support during students' clinical placements to meet the demands for a better-qualified healthcare workforce.

Supporting an Inclusive Environment Through Correct Name Pronunciation

BACKGROUND

The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report recommends eliminating practices within nursing education that contribute to racism and discrimination.

PROBLEM

Name mispronunciation has been identified as a microaggression that can interfere with an inclusive learning environment and a sense of belonging.

APPROACH

The faculty development approach used a TEDx talk of a story about personal naming, followed by a discussion on appropriate and inappropriate responses to name mispronunciation. Tools and strategies to promote correct name pronunciation were shared.

OUTCOMES

Participants reported (1) the training and video were meaningful and impactful; (2) increased understanding that name mispronunciation may be considered a microaggression; and (3) increased awareness of their response to correct name pronunciation.

CONCLUSIONS

A just and equitable learning environment free of discrimination is integral to achieving inclusion and belonging in nursing education. Correct name pronunciation tools and techniques can engender a sense of inclusion.

Inclusivity in Graduate Nursing Education: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Advancing inclusivity in graduate nursing education is paramount for preparing diverse nursing leaders to mobilize change within health care and educational systems. This scoping review examined inclusivity in graduate nursing education.

METHOD

CINAHL, Medline, and ERIC databases were searched for studies published in English since 2011. Key journals and reference lists of included studies were hand searched. Included studies focused on inclusivity in the context of graduate nursing education.

RESULTS

Data from 31 included studies are presented. Most of the studies (n = 22) aimed to cultivate inclusivity among students, primarily through cultural competence training. A few studies enacted inclusivity through program-level strategies (n = 4) or explored the lived experiences of diverse students (n = 5).

CONCLUSION

Future research and education initiatives should advance a more holistic, intersectional approach to cultivating inclusivity, as well as emphasize enacting inclusivity through strategies to transform the learning environment. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(12):679-692.].

Inclusive leadership to guide nursing's response to improving health equity

The purpose of this manuscript is to examine traditional models of leadership in nursing, and to provide a roadmap and specific recommendations for nurses at all levels to lead our profession through the next decade in achieving health equity. We examine current leadership frameworks in nursing and discuss ways to contemporize these frameworks to more explicitly center the expertise of clinicians and communities from historically marginalized backgrounds. Next, we examine the racial, gender, and able-bodied biases that impact nurses, and call upon nurses to examine and dismantle these biases. We discuss the roles of health systems and academic organizations in developing inclusive leaders, including through community engagement and true service-learning partnerships. Finally, we provide a set of recommendations for all nursing leaders across career stages to embrace inclusivity as they work to improve health equity.

A Role for History in Inclusive Nursing Education

BACKGROUND

History is a critical methodology that provides perspective on complex issues in health care today.

METHOD

This article draws on a selection of interdisciplinary scholarship on the history of nursing and health care, including work by scholars of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) scholars; and disability studies scholars, to demonstrate the role of history in inclusive nursing education.

RESULTS

History provides critical perspective regarding how race, gender, class, sexuality, and disability have shaped the development of nursing and the health care system, affected who has been able to access education and careers in nursing, and influenced Americans' access to and experiences of health care.

CONCLUSION

History prepares nursing students to better understand the reasons for and implications of persistent health disparities and inequities in access to nursing education and health care services, providing them with knowledge to advocate for greater health equity and social justice during their nursing careers. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(8):469-475.].

Social Justice in Nursing Education: A Way Forward

BACKGROUND

Systemic racism and inequity are embedded in higher education, especially in nursing. By disregarding health disparities and inequities, a hidden curriculum is endorsed, implicitly letting both instructors and students know that not addressing these subjects is acceptable.

METHOD

Needs assessments were performed to assess faculty and student attitudes about the needs for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) concepts. Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act model, the School of Nursing leadership, faculty, and students created taskforces to implement anti-oppression curricula throughout prelicensure courses.

RESULTS

Anti-oppression curricula and workshops were piloted successfully in the first semester of prelicensure nursing. Student feedback was positive with constructive suggestions. JEDI curriculum mapping was completed across the prelicensure nursing curriculum.

CONCLUSION

JEDI concepts must be integrated across nursing curricula to identify gaps. Forming a collaboration between leadership, faculty, and students is an optimal way to proceed as they all are invested and accountable for change. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(8):447-454.].

Developing a Diversity, Equity, and Civility Council to Advance Health Equity in Nursing Academia and Practice

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) recently released the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 focused on charting a path to achieve health equity. This article focuses on the critical role of nursing education in this call for action. Most specifically, we provide an overview of the process of developing a diversity, equity, and civility council in a school of nursing to promote equity, inclusivity, and diversity grounded in social justice within the culture of the school for faculty, staff, and students. In addition, we describe the council's work to date highlighting goals and the council's plans for future work based on data-driven processes.

Microaggressions, school satisfaction and depression: A national survey of nursing students

BACKGROUND

Microaggressions are thought to negatively impact learning and mental health in underrepresented (UR) nursing students.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate three hypotheses in a sample of nursing students: (a) whether, compared to White nursing students, UR nursing students experienced higher frequency of microaggressions, (b) whether microaggressions predict lesser satisfaction with nursing training and (c) whether microaggressions are associated with higher depression screening scores.

METHODS

A survey during Summer 2020 assessed 862 nursing students (71.8% female, Mean age = 28.8, SD = 9.27, 61.4% White, 20.0% UR) on microaggressions, satisfaction with their nursing program, and depression symptoms.

DISCUSSION

We found that compared to White nursing students, UR nursing students reported significantly greater microaggression frequency (with Black students reporting the highest frequency), lesser nursing training satisfaction, and equivalent potential depression rates.

CONCLUSION

Microaggressions deteriorate indicators of wellbeing, especially in UR nursing students. Strategic action to mitigate microaggressions and promote inclusion is needed.

Strategies to address structural and institutional barriers to success among students of color in nursing programs

The COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disparities experienced by Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in infections, hospitalizations, and deaths associated with the Coronavirus have underscored the imperative to increase the size and diversity of the healthcare workforce, including nursing. Academically focused pipeline development programs have led to some advances in minority recruitment and retention; however, emerging research highlights the importance of extra-academic factors that reduce the sense of belonging and persistence among underrepresented and minority students. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and activities of a college of nursing located in a minority-serving institution. Here, we emphasize the description of a range of activities aimed at meeting our diversity goals. Further, we highlight the actions initiated in response to emergent "extra-academic" student needs over the past year related to the COVID-19 pandemic and police brutality. The strategies described have implications for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion among higher education institutions in nursing.

Cultural Considerations in Debriefing

SUMMARY STATEMENT

Culture influences how we communicate, teach, and learn. Debriefings are laden with cultural influences. Without attention to cultural considerations, accepted debriefing techniques might not reach the desired outcome and, in certain cultures, may even harm teacher-learner relationships. We explore cultural considerations in healthcare simulation debriefing and offer guidance for debriefers to gain awareness of potential cultural biases.

Centering Black feminist thought in nursing praxis

Femininity and whiteness dominate Western nursing, silencing ontologies and epistemologies that do not align with these dominant norms while perpetuating systemic racism and discrimination in nursing practice, education, research, nursing activism, and sociopolitical structures. We propose Black feminist thought as a praxis to decenter, deconstruct, and unseat these ideologies and systems of power. Drawing from the work of past and present Black feminist scholars, we examine the ontological and epistemological perspectives of Black feminist thought. These include (i) the uniqueness and particular experiences of people, (ii) the acceptance of ontological and epistemological pluralism of truths and ways of knowing, and (iii) the mandate for equity in the health, social, political, and environmental structures of society. By focusing our attention on lived experiences and voices of those systematically excluded in nursing practice, education, research, and society, Black feminist thought offers an anticolonial, antiracist, and antidiscriminatory foundation for more effectively upholding nursing's disciplinary mandate for social justice and equity.

Cultivating inclusive learning environments that foster nursing education program resiliency during the Covid-19 pandemic

Nursing education programs faced multiple challenges to increase the size, diversity, and skill set of the nursing workforce while contending with shortage of clinical placement sites and retiring faculty. A program that is unable to be resilient in the face of crisis will fail in its mission to graduate resilient nurses. The purpose of this paper is to describe how nursing programs can respond to the challenge of creating a resilient program poised to graduate a diverse, inclusive, and resilient workforce. Utilizing resilience-oriented strategies to impact educational services solidified program relevancy, promoted student belonging, and enhanced student recruitment/retention. While programs have become accustomed to doing more with fewer resources, many of these programs may not survive these unprecedented times without incorporating a holistic approach for organizational well-being that promotes resilience through inclusivity.

Developing a Social Determinants of Learning™ Framework: A Case Study

Supplemental digital content is available in the text.

AIM

The aim of the study was to propose a framework, social determinants of learning™ (SDOL™), an actionable model to address learning disparities and expand learning opportunities to support nursing student diversity, equity, and inclusion.

BACKGROUND

There is significant growth in the racial and ethnic diversity across students at all levels of higher education, mirroring the growing diversity of the US population. Yet, lower rates of persistence and higher attrition rates among these student groups continue.

METHOD

The authors established six socially imposed forces, causative domains, as foundational to the SDOL framework. Key attributes of each domain were identified through a literature search. A case study illustrates an initial study of interventions targeting specific domains of the framework aimed toward student success.

CONCLUSION

Equitable education for all has far-reaching implications across nursing education and higher education in general. Further development and testing of the SDOL framework will support the goal of equitable education for all.

Minimizing Unconscious Bias in Nursing School Admission

BACKGROUND

The potential exists for unconscious bias to influence decisions throughout the admission process to nursing school and derail holistic admission review processes. Although little is known about unconscious bias in nursing school admissions, unconscious bias has been demonstrated in nurse educators at levels similar to the general population.

METHOD

This article examines concepts of unconscious bias, factors that may interfere with accurate and fair assessment of applicants to nursing school, and ways to mitigate unconscious bias in the application and admission decision processes.

RESULTS

Interventions that have shown success in reducing unconscious bias center on increased awareness of the presence of unconscious bias and cognitive strategies that include motivation and effort to counter the unconscious bias.

CONCLUSION

Creating structures in the admission process that promote fairness and reduce the risk of relying on automatic judgments can minimize the influence of unconscious bias on admission decisions. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(6):317-323.].

Educators' strategies for engaging diverse students in undergraduate nursing education programs: a scoping review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this scoping review is to identify and chart teaching strategies that educators use in classroom settings to engage diverse students in undergraduate nursing education programs.

INTRODUCTION

Student engagement is critical to facilitating academic success and significant learning experiences for undergraduate nursing students. However, students from diverse backgrounds face challenges in undergraduate nursing programs, and these challenges impact their academic engagement and sense of belonging and inclusion. Creating conditions in nursing education that foster engagement by meeting the learning needs of diverse learners could facilitate their success, which ultimately might strengthen the nursing workforce diversity.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This review will consider papers on how educators engage undergraduate nursing students from diverse backgrounds in classroom settings, including online, face-to-face, and blended formats, irrespective of the country. Evidence obtained from all sources including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies, systematic reviews, as well as gray literature will be considered for inclusion.

METHODS

JBI methodology for scoping reviews, which includes a three-step search strategy, will be employed. First, keywords will be identified from relevant articles in CINAHL and ERIC. Second, another search using the identified keywords and index terms across select databases will be conducted. Third, the reference lists of all identified articles will be screened for additional papers. Titles and abstracts will be screened by two independent reviewers, and then followed by the full text review of included articles against the inclusion criteria by two independent reviewers. Data will be extracted from included articles and the findings will be presented in tables, figures, and narratively as appropriate.

SCOPING REVIEW PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework https://osf.io/7bv5p/.

Outcomes of a holistic admissions process in an Accelerated Baccalaureate Nursing Program

An accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program adopted holistic admissions practices to increase diversity in the student body. This quality improvement project aimed to compare three cohorts of students accepted before holistic admissions practices to three cohorts accepted after holistic admissions. The authors examined demographic data, on-time graduation rate, licensure exam passing rate, remediation status, and student perceptions expressed on exit surveys. After holistic admissions were implemented, student diversity increased and on-time graduation and licensure exam pass rates were maintained. The need for student remediation decreased after holistic admissions were implemented, and student perceptions of their classmates and the relevance of their schooling to their future professional career increased.

Students' perceptions of belonging in the School of Nursing at a regional university in Australia

BACKGROUND

Attrition in pre-registration nursing degrees is a global issue. Students' perceptions of belonging is a factor that influences attrition.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate students' perception of belonging to a School of Nursing, as well as their intention to complete the pre-registration Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program following implementation of the Initiatives for Retention (IR) intervention.

DESIGN

A prospective cross-sectional survey of student nurses was undertaken using an online questionnaire.

SETTING

A large regional university in Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Pre-registration nursing students.

METHODS

Perceptions of Belonging were evaluated using the 24-item Belonging questionnaire comprising three subscales. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25. Pearson's correlation, Student's t-tests and one way ANOVA were used to assess associations and differences in belonging scores and student demographics, study status and participation in the Initiatives for Retention (IR) intervention.

RESULTS

A total of 201 students responded to the voluntary questionnaire. The mean score for overall Belonging was 70.5 (maximum obtainable 96), mean Scores for University affiliation, University support and acceptance, and staff relations with students were 34.7, 24.1 and 11.8 respectively. Female students, those who were studying at the university for less than a year and those who participated in the IR intervention activities reported significantly higher University Belonging scores compared to their contemporaries. Logistic regression revealed that students studying the BN course for more than 3 years (OR: 0.43 95% CI 0.20-0.93, p = 0.031), and those employed (OR: 0.435, 95% CI 0.16-0.16, p = 0.022) were significant predictors of not attending the IR sessions. There were no significant differences in overall University Belonging scores based on other demographic characteristics and, study status. The majority of the students (84%) stated that they plan to continue and complete the BN program.

CONCLUSIONS

Measures designed to develop student involvement may positively contribute a successful relationship between the institution and the student, increasing the students' sense of belonging and decreasing attrition among student nurses.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Initiatives for Retention (IR) facilitate a greater sense of belonging in nursing students hence Schools of Nursing should consider embedding such strategies.

Fourth-Year Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Inclusive Learning Environments

BACKGROUND

Creating inclusive learning environments is a priority in nursing education, yet faculty are hindered by a dearth of evidence-based inclusive pedagogical strategies. In addition, little is known about students' perceptions of inclusive learning environments.

METHOD

Fourth-year baccalaureate nursing students from majority and underrepresented minority groups (n = 13) participated in focus groups at two time points across the academic year. Discussion topics included pedagogical strategies most strongly associated with inclusivity, facilitators and barriers to inclusivity, outcomes of inclusive learning experiences, and recommendations for promoting inclusivity in education and nursing practice.

RESULTS

Qualitative content analysis resulted in three themes: 1) underrepresented minority and majority groups described inclusive learning environments differently, 2) every aspect of the learning community affects inclusivity but teachers are especially influential, and 3) the outcomes of an inclusive learning environment extend beyond the classroom.

CONCLUSION

These findings may help create inclusive learning environments that support diversity and inclusive excellence in nursing education. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(5):256-262.].