Factors affecting the advancement of Black nurses into leadership roles: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The profession of nursing has recognized the lack of diversity in nursing leadership. Nurses of color represent fewer than 20% of leadership roles in nursing administration, education, and professional organizations. Efforts are needed to identify and implement strategies to increase the representation of nurses of color in positions of high influence. PURPOSE: To review the literature to uncover the factors that may impact Black nurses in their pursuit of leadership roles in nursing administration, education, and professional organizations. METHODS: The authors conducted a scoping review, searching CINAHL and PubMed databases in November 2022 for peer-reviewed English-language studies of leadership among U.S. nurses. They excluded studies that did not include a research method, did not have participants, a minimum of baccalaureate preparation as an inclusion criterion for participants, or were published before January 1, 2012. DISCUSSION: Of 331 articles identified, a total of 12 met the inclusion criteria. Evaluation of the studies revealed three concepts related to mentorship, racism, and hiring practices. Of the 12 studies, 9 addressed issues related to mentorship, 5 addressed issues related to racism, and 2 addressed issues related to hiring practices. Some studies address more than one of the concepts. Ten were qualitative studies, and two were quantitative studies. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that Black nurse leaders are faced with obstacles and challenges when considering entering and/or staying in leadership roles. The limited amount of research on Black nurses in leadership roles remains inadequate.

Best Practices for Facilitating the Mentoring Experience for Nursing Students of Color.

The need to increase diversity in the profession of nursing requires innovative approaches to recruit, retain, and graduate nurses from diverse racial populations. Mentorship has proven to be an effective retention and success strategy for nursing students. This article describes best practices for mentoring nursing students of color and aims to increase awareness of the impact of mentorship and its role in increasing diversity within the profession of nursing. The role technology plays in the facilitation of flexible and effective mentorship programs is explored.

The Mentoring Experience: Perceptions of African American Nurse Leaders and Student Mentees.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of African American mentors and mentees about the mentorship experience and examine mentorship as a blueprint for success in a nursing school. METHOD: Using a concurrent nested mixed-method, purposeful, and criterion-sampling technique, we surveyed participants from a 4-year public institution's mentorship program about the impact of the program and its effects on college progression. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from our analysis of the African American nursing students and the role of mentor-ship: challenges, desire for guidance, sharing of knowledge, and positive outcomes. CONCLUSION: On the basis of our findings, we developed a set of hypothetical practices involved in establishing mentorship programs and evaluated mentorship potential as a strategy to promote engagement and retention of African American undergraduate nursing students to increase diversity within the profession of nursing. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(1):25-28.].

Eliciting Willingness and Beliefs towards Participation in Genetic Psychiatric Testing in Black/African American Mothers at Risk for Depression.

Black/African American women are at high risk for depression, yet are underrepresented in psychiatric genetic research for depression prevention and treatment. Little is known about the factors that influence participation in genetic testing for Black/African American women at risk. The purpose of this study was to elicit the beliefs that underlie participation in genetic testing for depression in Black/African American mothers, a subgroup at high risk. Willingness to participate in genetic testing procedures was also determined. A qualitative, descriptive design was employed. Exactly 19 mothers aged 21-42 completed open-ended questionnaires. Directed content and descriptive analyses of the text were conducted based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Salient beliefs included: behavioral advantages-diagnosing/detecting depression (31.6%), finding cure/treatment (21.1%); disadvantages-not finding follow-up treatment/help (21.1%); salient referents, who approves-family members (47.4%), agencies/organizations (26.3%); who disapproves-church associates (21.1%). Control beliefs included: barriers-unpleasant/difficult testing procedures (42.1%), limited knowledge about the purpose of testing (26.3%); facilitator-a convenient location (21.1%). Most mothers (89.5%) indicated willingness to participate in testing. Interventions can target families, address barriers, emphasize future benefits, and use convenient locations and community-based participatory research methods. Policies can address social determinants of participation to increase inclusion of these mothers in psychiatric genetic research.