Operationalizing equity-mindedness for graduate English as a second language students in online nursing programs

The success of graduate nursing students who speak English as a second language (ESL) is critical to addressing the shortage of diverse advanced practice providers, yet evidence focuses exclusively on prelicensure students, predominantly in face-to-face contexts.

This study assessed graduate ESL nursing students' perceptions of academic barriers in an online program and identified strategies to mitigate threats to equity.

Forty-one (n = 41) student responses to a 23-item survey were analyzed using a convergent mixed methods approach. The sample included students from nine clinical and non-clinical specialty tracks, and 27 unique native languages were identified.

Confidence in their ability to complete the program was high. Three priority challenges emerged from the integrated analysis: (a) the time burden of learning, (b) the impact of language on testing, and (c) communication-related vulnerability. Exploratory correlations identified statistically significant relationships between native language and the perceived difficulty of speaking in English.

The findings distinguish the experiences of graduate ESL students and illustrate a heightened need for linguistically responsive pedagogy in online courses. The identified recommendations are rooted in equity-mindedness and supported by multidisciplinary evidence.