Holistic Admissions Review in Nursing Education: A Concept Analysis Using Rodgers' Evolutionary Method

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Admissions
• Health Equity

Background:

• Holistic review evaluates applicants based on diverse factors beyond standardized scores.
• Medical schools commonly employ holistic review; nursing programs may increasingly adopt this practice.
• The concept of holistic review is gaining traction in collegiate admissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the concept of holistic review in collegiate nursing program admissions.
• To establish a unified definition of holistic review for nursing education.
• To explore the role of holistic review in promoting diversity and equity.

Main Methods:

• Employed Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis.
• Examined the current application and understanding of holistic review in practice.
• Analyzed existing literature and praxis related to holistic review.

Main Results:

• Findings indicate a strong desire to increase diversity in health-related programs.
• The study supports enhancing the number of culturally competent and qualified healthcare providers.
• Results highlight the potential for holistic review to create a representative provider workforce.

Conclusions:

• Holistic review is a key strategy for increasing nursing student diversity.
• This approach fosters the development of future nurse providers representative of the US population.
• A unified definition of holistic review can advance educational and healthcare equity.