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.

Improving the College-Going Process of Nursing Education for African American Students.

The lack of diversity in the nursing workforce is concerning. Because schools of nursing play an important role in diversifying the nursing workforce, effective strategies must be developed to feed the pipeline. One such strategy is mentoring. The Diversity in Nursing Awareness Project was a mentoring program developed to assist African American students and their parents through the college-going process of nursing education. The aim of the program was not only to bring awareness of nursing as viable career option but also to increase acceptance and enrollment rates of African Americans into baccalaureate degree nursing programs.

Effective strategies to improve the college-going process of Black students considering nursing education: A Case Study Approach.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to describe the mentoring relationship and parental involvement during the college-going process of nursing education from the student's perspective. DESIGN: Qualitative research design was employed utilizing Yin's case study methodology. SETTINGS: The mentoring program took place over a 6-month period in a large urban city located in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of six high school students and 6 nurses participated in the study resulting in 6 mentor dyads. METHODS: Data was collected using multiple sources of evidence including the Mentoring Match Demographic Questionnaire (MMDQ), Parental Involvement Scale (PIS), electronic documentation, and interviews. Information from the MMDQ was completed prior to the start of the mentoring program and used to assign mentor dyads. All other sources of evidence were administered and analyzed at the end of the mentoring program. RESULTS: Six themes emerged capturing the students' perspective of mentoring and parental involvement during the college-going process of nursing education. The themes were (a) Beneficial Relationship, (b) Adaptive Communication, (c) Strengths and Limitations, (d) Good Mentor Characteristics and Qualities, (e) Goal Setting and (f) Parent Involvement: "Being there emotionally". Parental involvement was moderate for most student mentees participating in the mentoring program. CONCLUSION: Developing mentoring relationships with professional nurses and increasing parental involvement is an effective strategy to improve the college-going process of nursing education of first-generation Black high school students.