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: • In addition to creating greater academic and financial aid resources, several schools have established mentoring programs that match first and second year students with advanced nursing students. This service fosters confidence and builds relationships within the nursing community. • A diverse nursing school staff also helps minority students to feel more at ease; at this point, however, there are not enough minority doctoral candidates to fill the positions schools offer. Institutions need diverse students to become the diverse staff of the future. • Revised curricula that focus on holistic approaches to patient care also encourage minority students to apply. These new programs tend to be more culturally sensitive, appreciating students who work easily with minorit
