Abstract
Background and Purpose: The lack of racial diversity in nursing academia has the potential to affect efforts to recruit and retain diverse nursing students and diversify the nursing workforce, which research demonstrates helps achieve health equity (Montgomery et al., 2021). Few nurses from underrepresented racial groups with advanced degrees seek careers in the academy. Data from American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2024) indicate that 22% of full-time nursing school faculty self-identify as racial minorities. Promotion and tenure (P/T) is often perceived as a sign of success in the academy. Unfortunately, it is often difficult for minority faculty, as such decisions are sometimes subjective, especially for Black faculty (Carter & Craig, 2022). One key strategy for faculty seeking P/T, but especially for Black faculty, is a successful mentor-mentee relationship (McIntosh et al., 2018), yet little nursing research exists on this relationship. The overall purpose of the research was to examine the pre-tenure experiences of Black nursing faculty. This presentation will focus on a subset of the findings: mentoring.
Method: Using descriptive qualitative study and purposive sampling, Black tenured nursing faculty were recruited. Participants were asked to describe the role mentorship played as they worked to earn tenure and promotion. A one-on-one interview approach via Zoom was used and data were transcribed into themes.
Results: Of the 19 participants who completed the study, the majority were female and employed full time while 15 were 50 years of age or older. A major theme of mentoring inconsistency was identified. When asked about the role of mentorship in the P/T journey, participants stated their most supportive mentors were outside of nursing. They actively sought mentoring from tenured faculty from other disciplines such as theology, education, and music.
Conclusions: There continues to be challenges in recruiting and retaining Black nursing faculty, especially for those seeking promotion and tenure. Results of this study show that there is a lack of formal mentoring support for Black faculty within nursing departments or colleges. This adds to the challenges that normally accompany all candidates seeking P/T regardless of race. There needs to be increased utilization of evidence-based formal mentoring programs and policies to assist Black faculty in their journey.
Notes
References:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2024, June). Fact sheet: Enhancing diversity in the nursing workforce. https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/enhancing-diversity-in-the-nursing-workforce
Carter, T. J., & Craig, M. O. (2022). It could be us: Black faculty as “threats” on the path to tenure. Race and Justice, 12(3), 569-587. https://doi.org/10.1177/21533687221087366
McIntosh, C. E., Thomas, C. M., & McIntosh, D. E. (2018). A nurse’s step-by-step guide to academic promotion & tenure. Sigma Theta Tau International.
Montgomery, T. M., Bundy, J. R., Cofer, D., & Nicholls, E. M. (2021). Black Americans in nursing education: Reflecting on the past and looking toward the future. American Nurse Journal, 16(2), 22–25.
Sigma Membership
Nu Chi
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Mentoring and Coaching, Faculty Development, DEI and BIPOC, Nursing Education, Advances in Education, Promotion and Tenure
Recommended Citation
Calvert, Wilma J.; Adeola, Mopelola T.; Isaac-Savage, E. Paulette; and Keller, Jessica, "Mentoring Inconsistencies in the Promotion and Tenure Journey of Black Nursing Faculty" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 221.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/221
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-08
Funder(s)
Sigma Foundation for Nursing/Chamberlain College of Nursing
Mentoring Inconsistencies in the Promotion and Tenure Journey of Black Nursing Faculty
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Background and Purpose: The lack of racial diversity in nursing academia has the potential to affect efforts to recruit and retain diverse nursing students and diversify the nursing workforce, which research demonstrates helps achieve health equity (Montgomery et al., 2021). Few nurses from underrepresented racial groups with advanced degrees seek careers in the academy. Data from American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2024) indicate that 22% of full-time nursing school faculty self-identify as racial minorities. Promotion and tenure (P/T) is often perceived as a sign of success in the academy. Unfortunately, it is often difficult for minority faculty, as such decisions are sometimes subjective, especially for Black faculty (Carter & Craig, 2022). One key strategy for faculty seeking P/T, but especially for Black faculty, is a successful mentor-mentee relationship (McIntosh et al., 2018), yet little nursing research exists on this relationship. The overall purpose of the research was to examine the pre-tenure experiences of Black nursing faculty. This presentation will focus on a subset of the findings: mentoring.
Method: Using descriptive qualitative study and purposive sampling, Black tenured nursing faculty were recruited. Participants were asked to describe the role mentorship played as they worked to earn tenure and promotion. A one-on-one interview approach via Zoom was used and data were transcribed into themes.
Results: Of the 19 participants who completed the study, the majority were female and employed full time while 15 were 50 years of age or older. A major theme of mentoring inconsistency was identified. When asked about the role of mentorship in the P/T journey, participants stated their most supportive mentors were outside of nursing. They actively sought mentoring from tenured faculty from other disciplines such as theology, education, and music.
Conclusions: There continues to be challenges in recruiting and retaining Black nursing faculty, especially for those seeking promotion and tenure. Results of this study show that there is a lack of formal mentoring support for Black faculty within nursing departments or colleges. This adds to the challenges that normally accompany all candidates seeking P/T regardless of race. There needs to be increased utilization of evidence-based formal mentoring programs and policies to assist Black faculty in their journey.
Description
Users will gain an understanding of the experiences of Black faculty relative to mentorship during the promotion and tenure process. The overarching theme of mentoring inconsistencies will be addressed.