“Everybody’s Scrutinizing You”: Perspectives of Inclusion among Black and Hispanic Nursing Students
Sharrica Miller, Stephanie Vaughn
Abstract
Despite increased focus on diversity and inclusion in nursing education, there remains an underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic nurses in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore student perceptions of the School of Nursing's diversity and inclusion recruitment/retention initiatives and the perceived impact of exclusion on their academic success. Phenomenological methodology was employed to elicit Black/Hispanic student lived experiences/perceptions of inclusion. Participants were recruited from the SON in a large public university using a snowball approach. Participant interviews were conducted via telephone and recorded. The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed three key themes: being singled out; importance of representation; and importance of curriculum integration. This study highlighted the need for teaching strategies to promote inclusivity among marginalized diverse nursing students to improve recruitment and retention in the profession.