"Looking for a unicorn": The challenges of studying African American men enrolled in pre-licensure nursing programs

The purpose of this article is to relay the results of research study about the perceived challenges and successes of African American men in pre-licensure nursing programs, while describing the lessons learned when trying to research an underrepresented population in nursing education. Methodological flaws, poor return rates, and an overall lack of support led to findings which were not usable for the research topic, but might be usable to others interested in nursing education research. The research process highlights the continual struggle that nursing education has with creating and disseminating evidence to help faculty diversify the student body in nursing programs.