Paper
Friday, July 13, 2007
Becoming Excellent Students in Transition to Nursing (BEST): A Program to Increase Nursing Workforce Diversity
Cynthia E. Degazon, PhD, RN, School of Nursing, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
This presentation describes the implementation of the BEST program at a northeastern, public university. The BEST program is designed to increase nursing education opportunities for students from under-represented racial/ethnic minority, disadvantaged, and first generation immigrant backgrounds. The goal of the program is to prepare students to be successful in becoming culturally competent, academically prepared nursing graduates. Program components consist of pre-entry preparation which allow high schools students to explore nursing as a career and provide a pipeline of students for the baccalaureate curriculum; retention activities which include science enhancement, basic nursing skills and socialization to core professional nursing values; and financial aid which include stipends and scholarships. Program outcomes include six of nine high-school students being accepted into nursing programs, increased accountability among students for their own classroom behaviors, increased student leadership and management skills; and increased commitment of faculty and university administrators to the BEST program. In providing nursing educational opportunities for underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities, the BEST program is filling an important societal need for a diversified nursing workforce and for access and equity in the healthcare system.