Common Experiences of African American Nursing Students: An Integrative Review

AIM This integrative review synthesized research about Black nursing students’ experiences in primarily White nursing programs. BACKGROUND Provider diversity contributes to improved health outcomes for minorities. Black nursing students have higher attrition compared to White students. Minority student experiences in nursing school can contribute to poor academic performance. METHOD An integrative review examined data-based literature from nursing, education, and sociology. FINDINGS Three common experiences were identified among African American nursing students: struggling with isolation, the importance of faculty, and the need for academic and interpersonal support. CONCLUSION While little is known about the experience of Black students in predominately White nursing programs, evidence suggests that these students have unique needs for both academic and interpersonal support. To increase diversity of providers in the nursing profession, research is needed to identify opportunities to support Black students attending predominately White nursing programs.