Challenging stereotypes: A glimpse into nursing's difficulty recruiting African Americans

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Sociology of Health
• Nursing Workforce Diversity

Background:

• A diverse registered nurse (RN) workforce is crucial for improving minority health outcomes.
• Recruitment of students from underrepresented groups into nursing requires enhanced strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore perceptions of nursing among African American undergraduate non-nursing science majors.
• To understand these perceptions within the context of their career aspirations.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive research design.
• Semi-structured interviews with 20 African American non-nursing science majors.
• Analysis using Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña's coding processes.

Main Results:

• Three themes emerged: Career Development, The Ideal Career (Profession with Power), and Perception of Nursing (A Limited Profession).
• Participants desired careers offering power and autonomy to overcome societal stereotypes.
• African American science majors felt a burden to challenge stereotypes for themselves and their communities.

Conclusions:

• Medical careers were idealized, while nursing careers were devalued by participants.
• Idealization of medicine stemmed from its perceived ability to overcome stereotypes.
• Rejection of nursing was linked to a desire to avoid negatively stereotyped professions.