Holistic review in admissions: a strategy to diversify the nursing workforce

Individuals both within and outside the nursing profession have called for more diversity in nursing, from the education arena to the workforce. Implementing initiatives that address diversity and determining their effects have been limited. The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing used the American Association of Medical Colleges Holistic Review Project as a platform to implement a process and paradigm shift for admissions to its nursing programs. We believe that the use of holistic admissions can increase the diversity among nursing students and provide the first step toward a diversified nursing profession. In hopes of assisting other institutions, we describe our experiences with preparing and implementing a holistic admissions process within the context of lessons learned and continued challenges. Furthermore, we hope our efforts will serve as a catalyst for a national dialogue on the use of holistic review as a strategy for the development of a more diverse nursing workforce.