Learning Objective #1: Appraise the benefits of interdisciplinary research in the analysis and interpretation of research findings

Learning Objective #2: Employ methods to recruit and successfully graduate Hispanic students from nursing programs

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This interdisciplinary qualitative research project brings together the disciplines of nursing and education, examining issues related to Hispanic nursing student recruitment and retention. The nursing researcher was concerned with the recruitment and retention of Hispanic nursing students, focusing on nursing school experiences, especially the ability to succeed academically in nursing subjects and to pass NCLEX-RN. The education researcher, a multicultural education specialist, was concerned with the previous educational experiences of the participant, and the social and cultural aspects of the participant's life as a minority student in the United States. The two researchers interwove their concerns to create the project's framework, providing a broader perspective than if only one of the disciplines had been represented. This case study, which examines the narrative of a Hispanic nurse, a recent graduate from a historically black university, brings to light issues that have relevance for the education of all students who are Hispanic, including nursing students. The purpose of the study was to examine the participant's nursing school experience to help determine strategies for the recruitment and retention of Hispanic nursing students. By placing the participant's responses in a tri-level sociological framework – the individual/family (micro), community (meso), and institutional (macro) - the interconnections of the 3 levels in this student's nursing school experience are evident. Her experiences show a conception of self closely linked to her own individuality, her family, and the Hispanic community, while demonstrating how being a minority in the United States has influenced her opportunities and choices. She attributed her success in nursing school to the connections that she had at all three levels. The participant made specific recommendations for the recruitment and retention of Hispanic students, reflecting this interconnection. The results of this study are being used to create a more in-depth research project and a program model.