The Experience of Black Students at a Predominantly White Institution

Poster

The US population is becoming increasingly diverse with racial and ethnic minorities estimated to comprise over 50% of the population by 2050. Currently, racial and ethnic minorities experience higher health disparities with persistent barriers to quality healthcare, poor outcomes, low quality of life and increased mortality rates. Despite minority populations constituting up to 38.3% of the population in 2018, only 19.2% of Registered Nurses in 2017 were from minority background. Stakeholders have promoted increase recruitment, retention, and graduation of minority nursing students to increase healthcare workforce diversity to decrease health disparities.

The AACN’s report on 2018-2019 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, shows an increased enrollment of minority students in nursing programs. Even though the schools successfully recruit, it does not result in increased graduation rates. The purpose of our study was to describe the experiences of black students in a predominantly white institution. We conducted 3 focus group interviews with 16 Black alumni from the accelerated Baccalaureate (ABSN) and Direct Entry Master’s (DEN) programs. Two major themes emerged; microaggressions on campus and clinical and the burden of exclusion and isolation. These findings can be used by nursing faculty and others to design interventions that can enable students from minority backgrounds to have better experiences and succeed in nursing programs. Results from the focus group interviews will be presented.