Rethinking race and attrition in nursing programs: a hermeneutic inquiry

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Sociology of Education
• African-American Studies

Background:

• Predominantly white baccalaureate nursing programs present unique environments for African-American students.
• Understanding the lived experiences of minority students is crucial for addressing educational disparities.
• Previous research has not fully captured the nuances of being Black in these academic settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the meaning of being Black in a predominantly white nursing program.
• To understand if racial identity impacts educational goals and persistence.
• To investigate the lived experiences of African-American nursing students.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative hermeneutic study utilizing critical hermeneutic inquiry.
• In-depth, audiotaped interviews with four self-identified African-American nursing students.
• Transcription and thematic analysis of interview data by a research team.

Main Results:

• Three emergent patterns: 'Being Different/Being the Same,' 'Student As Teacher: Toward a Surrogate Pedagogy,' and 'Resoluteness: I'll See You at Graduation.'
• Findings indicate that racial identity is a significant factor in the educational experience.
• Students developed unique coping mechanisms and pedagogical approaches to navigate their environment.

Conclusions:

• The experience of being Black is central to the educational journey of these students.
• Future research on attrition must incorporate the subjective meaning of race and difference.
• Nursing programs should acknowledge and address the specific challenges faced by African-American students.