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The Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program: A Diversity Success Story
LaDonna Christian1, Gloria Cater, Colette Dieujuste
1Author Affiliations: Director, Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program, and Associate Professor of Practice, School of Nursing (Dr Christian); Faculty, Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program, and Associate Professor of Practice, School of Nursing (Dr Cater); and Assistant Professor, School of Nursing (Dr Dieujuste), Simmons University, Boston, Massachusetts.
Mentoring programs significantly boost nursing student success. The Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program improved course pass rates, NCLEX pass rates, and reduced attrition for African American, Latino, Asian, and Native American (ALANA) students.
Area of Science:
- Health Sciences
- Nursing Education
- Health Disparities
Background:
- The Institute of Medicine highlighted the need for ethnic diversity in healthcare to reduce health disparities.
- Despite recommendations, progress in increasing nursing workforce diversity remains limited.
- Healthcare systems lack adequate representation of Black/African American, Asian, and Latino Registered Nurses (RNs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative mentoring program for underrepresented nursing students.
- To assess the impact of the Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program on student outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of the Dotson Bridge and Mentoring Program, specifically designed for African American, Latino, Asian, and Native American (ALANA) students.
- Tracking of key academic and professional outcomes for participating ALANA students.
Main Results:
- Course pass rates improved from 50% to 92%.
- First-time NCLEX pass rates increased from 74% to 94%.
- Student attrition rates decreased significantly from 23% to 1%.
Conclusions:
- Mentoring programs are effective in supporting ALANA students in nursing.
- These programs can enhance retention, graduation, and NCLEX pass rates.
- Mentoring should be integrated into nursing programs to foster diversity and improve outcomes.
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