Recorded presentation

Cherie Rector, PhD, RN-C and Kathleen Gilchrist, Phd, FNP. Department of Nursing, California State University, Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099, 559-734-1845, crector@csub.edu

Undergraduate baccalaureate nursing education in the medically underserved central San Joaquin valley is primarily provided by the California State University system. CSU Bakersfield is the only baccalaureate nursing program within a 110 mile range. In 2003, two faculty members received a HRSA Nursing Workforce Diversity grant to aid in recruitment and retention of culturally diverse/disadvantaged students in this nursing program and to recruit and assist associate degree nurses to complete their BSN degrees. Historically, disadvantaged students have not always been successful in this nursing program. The literature has reported various reasons for failure of disadvantaged students to complete baccalaureate nursing programs. These include multiple economic, social, and academic barriers. The HRSA program designed at CSUB addresses these reasons by including provision of financial support (stipends) and academic and social support activities. Outreach programs to high schools and lower grades develop an educational pipeline for nursing, focusing on culturally diverse and educationally/economically disadvantaged students. Intensive recruitment of RNs is being done in three communities served by CSUB distance learning in order to increase the number of BSN-prepared nurses who can work in public health; stipends are awarded to provide financial assistance in completing the program. The goal of this presentation is to provide learners with a description of the barriers to baccalaureate nursing education for culturally diverse/disadvantaged students and to highlight interventions that can be undertaken to ensure students greater educational success. In addition, the HRSA grant process and the development of long-range programs to increase nursing enrollment will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Name three barriers to nursing education often experienced by culturally diverse and disadvantaged students.
• Discuss interventions implemented by presenters to recruit and retain culturally diverse and disadvantaged students.
• Identify possible grant sources to promote development of similar recruitment and retention programs in nursing education.

Keywords: Minorities, Nursing Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: HRSA
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation