Introduction
In the article “Baccalaureate minority nursing students perceived barriers and Facilitators to clinical education practices,” Graham et al. examine the disparity in the diversity of nursing staff in the structure of the US population. Using a comprehensive review of the literature, the authors identified the main reasons for this situation and researched possible barriers for minority nursing students in the field of education (Graham et al., 2016). This study relates to the sociological concept of belonging, which describes an individual feeling of inclusion, security, and support of any social group. The article explores how the isolation of minority nursing students from the community contributes to developing barriers in the medical profession and destroys the sense of belonging (Graham et al., 2016). If representatives of minorities cannot feel belonging to a professional group, then they will be less motivated to finish their education and stay in the profession.
Article Summary
The presence of cultural and social diversity in the medical profession is necessary for quality service to different population groups and the achievement of social equity and equality. However, statistics show that minority nurses in 2013 accounted for only 16.8 percent of all nurses (Graham et al., 2016). Considering that minority groups in the USA make up 22.3 percent, it can be assumed that there are barriers that do not allow representatives of different nationalities and races to enter the nursing profession (Graham et al., 2016). Many researchers note that inequalities in nursing are associated with unequal access to educational opportunities and the dropout of students, which in minority groups reaches 85 percent (Graham et al., 2016). Moreover, there is a downward trend in the number of Hispanic and Black nurses graduating (Graham et al., 2016). Graham et al. analyze various studies of minority nursing students at the undergraduate level. These articles consider different factors of failure – socioeconomic background, pre-university training, class attendance, attitudes of teachers and other students, student involvement in completion programs, and mobility problems.
The research method is a critical review of the literature on the educational experience of black, Latin American, Asian, Portuguese, Filipino, and Native American nurses. The review includes 14 qualitative, mixed, and descriptive studies (Graham et al., 2016). Some articles have compared white and minority students to analyze their expectations, fears, and learning differences. The findings were divided into three main categories of barriers: “discrimination from faculty, peers, nursing staff, and patients; bias in faculty grading practices; and isolation” (Graham et al., 2016, p.130). Thus, each factor contributed to the destruction of the sense of belonging for minority nursing students.
Discriminatory practices primarily included the fact that education was utterly focused on white patients. The student’s clinical experience and practice lacked cultural diversity; they were not trained to work with patients from different cultural backgrounds (Graham et al., 2016). Moreover, black and Hispanic students faced direct discrimination from leaders and staff and were subjected to offensive remarks and comments (Graham et al., 2016). Teachers and medical personnel showed biased attitudes towards students who spoke English as a second language (Graham et al., 2016). The article’s authors point out that these factors influenced the underestimation of minority students and lowered their grades (Graham et al., 2016). As a result, black and Hispanic students felt more unprepared for exams and clinical practice.
Another essential factor noted in the studies was the feeling of isolation and lack of a sense of belonging to a professional group. 11 out of 14 papers identified barriers and negative interactions between minority students and teachers, peers, supervisors, nurses, and patients (Graham et al., 2016). Minority students reported that they were always the last to be selected for internships, projects, or when profiling for different types of work (Graham et al., 2016). The absence of diverse representatives in the faculty increased the state of alienation and non-inclusion in the community, as this is the absence of role models for non-white students (Graham et al., 2016). The isolation did not allow minority nurses to successfully solve educational and practical problems, seek help promptly and feel satisfied with training and work.
Conclusion
Overcoming discrimination in the medical environment and strengthening the sense of belonging among nursing minority students is an important task for the professional medical community. First, the presence of bias in education and healthcare can be harmful to both patients and medical professionals. Practicing diverse cultural approaches in medicine is the goal because it is one of the objectives of patient-centered care, which is becoming the standard for efficient medical service. It is impossible to imagine patient-centered care in a country as ethnically diverse as the United States if the educational program does not include the experience of other cultures and languages. Second, overcoming discrimination is beneficial for society, as it allows social elevators to work, overcoming social inequalities in the future. The imbalance between the number of nurses from minorities and their percentage in the general population speaks of the absolute presence of unfair barriers, which cannot be tolerated in a democratic society.
Reference
Graham, C. L., Phillips, S. M., Newman, S. D., & Atz, T. W. (2016). Baccalaureate minority nursing students perceived barriers and facilitators to clinical education practices: An integrative review. Nursing Education Perspectives, 37(3), 130-137.