Degree Name
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)
Program
Nursing
Date of Award
12-2012
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Janne Dunham-Taylor
Committee Members
Elizabeth Dobbins, Patricia Hayes, Masoud Ghaffari
Abstract
Nursing educators have struggled for many years with the problem of student attrition in the minority population. Because there are so few minority students who choose nursing as a profession, educators strive to retain these students to graduation. Unfortunately, attrition rates of minority students continue to rise despite years of research into the problem. The majority of this research approaches the issue from the viewpoint of the failing student. What might happen if nursing research took a positive approach to the issue? The purpose of this study was to describe the influencing factors that led minority nursing students to be successful in a predominantly Caucasian prelicensure nursing program. The researcher sought to describe the influencing factors that led to success for minority students who attended a predominantly Caucasian nursing program. Seven minority students from a medium-sized community college were interviewed for the study. The findings of this study reflect a need for minority students to have strong family support while in school. They must also possess a strong work ethic and determination to succeed despite obstacles that may be detrimental to less motivated students. It is hoped that by describing the stories of successful minority nursing students through a qualitative descriptive lens, nursing education researchers and nursing faculty can use the information to develop positive strategies and interventions that will contribute to the success of future minority nursing students.
Document Type
Dissertation - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Boruff, Staci M., "Experiences of Success by Minority Students Attending a Predominantly Caucasian Nursing Program" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1484. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1484
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.