Nursing Programs for MinoritiesLearn About Nursing Opportunities for Minorities Nursing Education and CareersEXPLORE TOP DEGREES
QUICK LINKS Nursing School Listings Find a Nursing School Nurse Education & Career Center Types of Nursing Programs "Minority" can be defined as a group that differs from the majority of the population, particularly in terms of religion, culture, ethnic background, race, sexual orientation or physical ability. "Underrepresented minority" refers to groups whose presence in different areas is disproportionate when compared to overall population figures—a minority may represent 3 percent of American citizens, but only 0.7 percent of nursing students. The number of African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander and Native American/Alaskan Native students enrolled in nursing programs is significantly lower than the percent of the population they comprise; generally, they are considered to be the underrepresented groups in nursing schools. What are the prospects for minority nursing students?The demand for diverse types of nursing students is at an all-time high as the demographics of the United States change. Hospitals and health care providers need nurses who can establish strong patient-client relationships with growing minority populations. These communities often have a high proportion of immigrant and first-generation members who may have limited English skills. Nurses from similar backgrounds can gain the trust of these individuals; other nurses may not be so aware of cultural beliefs and practices that can influence treatment methods. A diverse nurse workforce is a crucial component of effective community outreach efforts. Why are schools interested in recruiting minority students?Nursing schools need students who will excel as leaders in their communities. Minorities tend to have less access to health care and disproportionate rates of illness when compared to traditionally white areas. Consequently, nursing schools want to recruit individuals who are sensitive to cultural differences and who desire to practice holistic medicine in underrepresented populations. In order to achieve these goals, however, nursing programs need higher numbers of minority applicants. There are over two million nurses in the United States; according to the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, 4.9 percent are African American, 3.7 percent are Asian/Pacific Islander, 2.0 percent are Hispanic and 0.5 percent are Native American/Alaskan Native. The statistics follow similar trends at all levels of nursing education: a study by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing found that minority nurses comprise less than 10 percent of the students enrolled in doctoral programs. Are more minority students enrolling in nursing programs?The retention rate of minority nursing students has been problematic due to numerous factors, including family duties and financial situations. Nursing schools are taking many steps to resolve the issue of retention rate:
What is the status of affirmative action in colleges and universities?In recent years, United States courts have handed down a series of contradictory judgments about affirmative action policies, which consider race as one of several factors during the admissions process. Some of these decisions have curtailed affirmative action in California, Washington, Texas and other states; others have affirmed that diverse classrooms are crucial to the education system and have upheld school policies. In May, 2002, a federal appeals court ruled in Grutter vs. Bollinger that the University of Michigan's law school did not employ racial quotas; rather, it had a "compelling interest" when it sought to enroll a diverse student body. The law school argued that it did not set quotas to recruit a specific number of minority students; nevertheless, it claimed, any restrictions on the admissions policy would reduce minority populations to "token" levels. Many legal experts believe that the Supreme Court will reexamine affirmative action in the near future in order to resolve the conflicting decisions by lower circuit courts. Are scholarships available for minority nursing students?Individual private schools may set aside funds for minority students, and many nursing scholarship organizations also offer awards:
Are there any minority nursing student organizations?Individual schools may have minority nurse student organizations in addition to larger minority student groups; contact each school for information. There are also national minority nursing organizations for professionals. Often, students can become members of these groups, which include:
Do nursing schools take steps to address the needs of diverse patients?Many nursing programs have revised their curricula to train students about cultural diversity before they leave school. Often, new courses are designed to educate students about the unfamiliar cultural beliefs that they may encounter in minority populations. Nursing students are encouraged to learn new languages in order to meet the needs of patients who speak limited English. Students are also exposed to the different risk factors and symptoms for various minorities, an increasingly-important practice that prepares nurses for the diverse communities that they will practice in after graduation. |
|---|