Other Titles
The Impact of an Immersion Program: URM Nursing Students' Preparedness and Confidence [Title Slide]
Abstract
Background: Underrepresented minority (URM) students often face unique challenges in nursing education, including lower levels of academic preparedness, confidence, and peer support, which can affect retention and success rates. Increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce is critical to improving health equity and culturally competent care, making it essential to support URM students in their transition to nursing school. To address these barriers and contribute to a more diverse nursing workforce, an immersion program was developed to support URM students entering nursing school. This evidence-based project aims to evaluate student perceptions of preparedness, confidence, motivation, and support following the program.
Methods: After completing the immersion program, URM nursing students (n=21) were surveyed to assess their perceptions of readiness for nursing school. The survey evaluated students' confidence in their academic and clinical skills, motivation to begin studies, peer support, and the perceived effectiveness of specific program components, including simulation exercises and test-taking strategies. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze student responses.
Results: Post-program evaluations revealed that a majority of students felt more prepared and confident for the demands of nursing school after participating in the immersion program. Specifically, 33% (n=7) of participants reported feeling “prepared” and 48% (n=10) of participants feeling “very prepared” for nursing school.
Conclusion: The post-immersion evaluations indicate that the program positively influenced URM students’ perceptions of their preparedness, confidence, and peer support. These findings suggest that targeted immersion programs can be valuable tools for increasing URM nursing students’ readiness and motivation, potentially contributing to improved retention and academic success.
Implications for Practice: Nursing programs may benefit from implementing immersion experiences to enhance URM students’ sense of preparedness and confidence as they transition into rigorous academic environments. Future research should investigate the relationship between post-program perceptions and long-term outcomes, such as academic performance and retention.
Notes
References:
Akintade, B., Gonzalez, J., Idzik, S., & Indenbaum-Bates, K. (2023). Topic: Intentional diversity in academia: Recruiting, admitting, enrolling, and retaining underrepresented students in nursing programs. JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL NURSING, 45, 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.01.004
Allen, P., Krummen, R., Mauck, M., Rohr, T., Scott, D., & Martin, A. (2023). Articulating pathways for a diverse nursing workforce in a community college. Teaching & Learning in Nursing, 18(2), 349–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2023.01.002
Brook, J., Aitken, L. M., & Salmon, D. (2024). Effectiveness appraisal of interventions to increase retention of newly qualified nurses implemented in the final year of pre-registration programmes: A literature review. NURSE EDUCATION IN PRACTICE, 74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2023.103851
Cantwell, E. R., Avallone, M., & Bowler, G. (2020). Using new careers in nursing research findings to develop an evidence-based pre-entry immersion program. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(6), 490–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.04.004
Gallagher, F. L., Koshy Thomas, B., Connor, L., Sinnott, L. T., & Melnyk, B. M. (2020). The Effects of an Intensive Evidence Based Practice Educational and Skills Building Program on EBP Competency and Attributes. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 17(1), 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12397
Johnson, R. L., Steed, J., Parker, S., & Schorn, M. N. (2020). A Summer Professional Immersion in Nursing Program for Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students. The Journal of Nursing Education, 59(11), 631–636. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20201020-06
Pullon, S., Garrett, S., Garnett, A., Schwass, E. R., McKinlay, E., Ashworth, N., & Darlow, B. (2021). Five years on: Influences on early career health professionals from a rural interprofessional pre-registration immersion program. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, 29(2), 146–157. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12705
Rhoten, B. A., Steed, J., Johnson, R., & Schorn, M. N. (2024). Evaluating and Addressing the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Climate in a School of Nursing. Nurse Educator, 49(3), E153–E157. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001529
Sigma Membership
Epsilon Nu at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
DEI, BIPOC, Workforce, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Underrepresented Minority Students
Recommended Citation
Smith, Demetrice and Chatmon, Benita N., "Impact of an Immersion Program on the Academic Readiness of Underrepresented Minority BSN Students" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 234.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/234
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, 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.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Impact of an Immersion Program on the Academic Readiness of Underrepresented Minority BSN Students
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Underrepresented minority (URM) students often face unique challenges in nursing education, including lower levels of academic preparedness, confidence, and peer support, which can affect retention and success rates. Increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce is critical to improving health equity and culturally competent care, making it essential to support URM students in their transition to nursing school. To address these barriers and contribute to a more diverse nursing workforce, an immersion program was developed to support URM students entering nursing school. This evidence-based project aims to evaluate student perceptions of preparedness, confidence, motivation, and support following the program.
Methods: After completing the immersion program, URM nursing students (n=21) were surveyed to assess their perceptions of readiness for nursing school. The survey evaluated students' confidence in their academic and clinical skills, motivation to begin studies, peer support, and the perceived effectiveness of specific program components, including simulation exercises and test-taking strategies. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze student responses.
Results: Post-program evaluations revealed that a majority of students felt more prepared and confident for the demands of nursing school after participating in the immersion program. Specifically, 33% (n=7) of participants reported feeling “prepared” and 48% (n=10) of participants feeling “very prepared” for nursing school.
Conclusion: The post-immersion evaluations indicate that the program positively influenced URM students’ perceptions of their preparedness, confidence, and peer support. These findings suggest that targeted immersion programs can be valuable tools for increasing URM nursing students’ readiness and motivation, potentially contributing to improved retention and academic success.
Implications for Practice: Nursing programs may benefit from implementing immersion experiences to enhance URM students’ sense of preparedness and confidence as they transition into rigorous academic environments. Future research should investigate the relationship between post-program perceptions and long-term outcomes, such as academic performance and retention.
Description
This study explores an immersion program for underrepresented minority nursing students to boost preparedness, confidence, and motivation. Results suggest improved readiness, but further research on long-term impact is needed.