Enhancing Diversity: Eliminating Barriers for ELL Practical Nursing Students
The purpose was to determine ethnically diverse/ESL nursing students’ perceptions of educational barriers within a Practical Nurse program in a community college setting. There is an identified gap in the literature regarding perceptions of educational barriers for Practical Nursing students. Many ethnically diverse nursing students utilize practical nursing programs as a bridge into the nursing profession and Registered Nursing programs. This study will begin to fill the gap in the literature and discover new perceptions of practical nursing students.
Aims
The overall goal of this study is to stimulate institutional level dialogue on strategies to improve recruitment, retention and graduation of ethnically diverse students, particularly ELL students in licensed practical nursing programs. The specific aims include:
1. To describe perceived barriers to success for ELL students who were previously in the LPN program.
2. To describe perceived strategies for success for ELL students who were previously in
the LPN program.
Background
LPN/LVN programs significantly contribute to the diversity of the nursing workforce. The NLN believes that the diversity offered by multiple points of entry into the nursing profession including entrance into the profession as an LPN and the variety of progression options available provide an environment for enrichment and professional growth. In order to produce a more educated and diverse workforce, it is imperative that new models of academic progression are created that are inclusive and supportive of the LPN/LVN as well as other pre-licensure and post-licensure graduates (“NLN”, 2011). Addressing the barriers to LPN students’ education experiences is a critical step toward building a strong, diverse nursing workforce that could address the increasing diverse health care needs of the country.
Methods
Study Design
This study was a qualitative phenomenological study. Data was collected from former students who successfully completed the PN program and those who academically failed out of the program. Students self-identified as English Language Learners. Through semi-structured face-to-face and phone interviews, data was collected on educational barriers perceived by ethnically diverse/ELL nursing students and strategies they perceived as effective to overcome these barriers.
Results
Themes |
Sub-themes |
Barriers
|
Language Work/school/life balance Cultural differences Lack of social support/discrimination Other barriers
|
Strategies |
Language strategies Peer Support/Study groups Instructors as Resources Survival skills development strategies |
Recommendations
|
Faculty/Instructor recommendations Nursing Program/College Resource recommendations Recommendations for current future ELL nursing students
|
Implications
The diversity of the U.S. population will continue to increase and the need for an increased number of ethnically diverse nurses will be critical to the provision of quality care. Practical nursing programs provide a financially feasible option with decreased time requirements for ethnic minority nurses to pursue a nursing career, and serve as a bridge to registered nursing programs. This study provides a deeper understanding of the barriers that ethnically diverse practical nursing students face and effective strategies that can be implemented to assist them. It also affirms the critical roles of faculty in assisting ethnically diverse practical nursing students. Strong institutional policies are critical to support these important future members of our country’s health care team.