Successfully Increasing the Diversity of the Nursing Workforce in Rural South Carolina

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Workforce Development
• Rural Health Disparities

Background:

• The nursing workforce faces challenges in diversity, particularly in rural areas.
• Initiatives are needed to support at-risk students entering nursing programs.
• The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant supports such efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a comprehensive support program on increasing nursing workforce diversity.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of resources provided to at-risk nursing students in rural South Carolina.

Main Methods:

• A project funded by the HRSA NWD grant provided resources to 100 at-risk students.
• Resources included mentorship, financial assistance, experiential learning, advising, and professional development.
• Program outcomes were descriptively compared between participants and a control group (n=92).

Main Results:

• The project resulted in an increased diversity of the nursing workforce in the Pee Dee Region.
• A multifaceted approach combining various support services was key to the project's success.
• Descriptive comparisons indicated positive program outcome benchmarks for participants.

Conclusions:

• Targeted support programs can effectively enhance nursing workforce diversity in underserved rural regions.
• The project's model offers valuable implications for replicating and scaling diversity initiatives in nursing education.
• Investing in at-risk students is crucial for building a more representative and robust nursing workforce.