Learning Objective #1: Describe a method for assessing special needs of minority BSN students to increase program enrollment and retention

Learning Objective #2: Identify at least three strategies for increasing the satisfaction of minority students enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program

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The Nursing Department at Norfolk State University is implementing a strategic plan that will increase the enrollment and success of minority/disadvantaged students in its baccalaureate nursing program. This effort, the Baccalaureate Enrollment/Success Tactics for RNs (BESTRN), is consistent with the national initiative to increase the capacity and diversity of the nursing workforce. As one of the nation's largest historically black colleges, NSU educates the majority of minority nurses in Virginia. State and national data reveal that the percentages of minority students who enroll in and complete baccalaureate nursing programs are not reflective of the percentage of minorities in the general population, thereby decreasing the likelihood that a minority patient will be treated by a nurse of the same ethnicity and contributing to health disparities. This project aims to identify and satisfy the unique needs of this student population through a number of recruitment and retention strategies, including but not limited to: innovative marketing and public awareness campaigns, a variable program pace, technology-enhanced learning opportunities, faculty and peer mentoring, student scholarship/funding advisement, and early intervention for special learning needs. Project coordinators are conducting both formative and summative evaluations of the BESTRN initiatives, which are being introduced over a three year period. Program effectiveness is being assessed using surveys of student satisfaction with the baccalaureate curriculum and associated support services, and recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. Expected outcomes include 20% annual increases in enrollment and retention and a mean score of at least a five on a 7-point scale of student satisfaction. This program serves not only to increase the number of minority nurses matriculating through NSU, but also to provide a recruitment and retention model that can be replicated by other institutions. This presentation will describe the process by which the BESTRN program interventions were planned, implemented, and evaluated.