State of diversity in nursing academia in the United States: An integrative review

Aim The aim of this integrative review is to analyse published research studies that addressed the state of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in academic nursing. Background Diversity is important in nursing academia and to the nursing profession to meet the demands of a growing, diverse population in the United States. Design An Integrative review Methods PubMed® and Elicit® were used to systematically search for relevant literature. Informed by Ray’s (2019) Theory of Racialized Organizations, twenty-six empirical, conceptual and theoretical studies published between 2015 and 2025 were analyzed. Results Three themes are derived: 1) structural racism and institutional culture, 2) emotional and relational labor and 3) DEI barriers in layered systems. The results of this review may assist future research to address the gap in the nursing literature on diversity initiatives, thereby improving diversity in nursing education as well as health care delivery of an increasingly diverse population in the United States. Conclusions Despite DEI mission statements, traditional Eurocentric norms still largely shape standards of excellence and tenure decisions. This often pressures minority faculty to conform, leading to stress and lower job satisfaction. To genuinely support diversity, institutions should reconsider how they define excellence, strengthen mentorship and sponsorship and promote cultural awareness among faculty to better recruit and retain diverse talent.