The influence of social determinants of education on nursing student persistence and professional values

Professional values are standards for action and provide a framework for evaluating behavior. This study examined changes in the professional values of nursing students between their entrance to and graduation from an undergraduate nursing program. A pre- and post-test design was employed. A convenience sample of 94 students from a university in Taiwan was surveyed. Data were collected from students during the sophomore and senior years. Total scores obtained for the revised Nurses Professional Values Scale during the senior year of the nursing program were significantly higher than upon program entry. The ‘caring’ subscale was scored highest at both program entry and graduation, but the pre- and post-test scores were not significantly different from each other. The students scored significantly higher on the ‘professionalism’ and ‘activism’ subscales at post-test than they did at pre-test. Professional values changed in a positive direction between the beginning of the student nurses’ educational experience and their graduation. The results supported the premise that education had a positive effect on these students’ professional values but causality could not be assumed.

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Strategies to Address Individual Level Social Determinants of Health Designed to Cultivate the Next Generation of Minority Nurse Leaders Committed to Health Equity

Creative Nursing ◽

10.1891/1078-4535.22.1.11 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 11-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Brigit Maria Carter ◽

Anne L. Derouin

Keyword(s):

Nursing Education ◽

Leadership Development ◽

Health Equity ◽

Social Determinants ◽

Ethnic Diversity ◽

Nursing Student ◽

Nursing Program ◽

Underrepresented Minority ◽

Individual Level ◽

School Of Nursing

In response to the need for increased racial and ethnic diversity in the nursing profession, the Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) established the Academy for Academic and Social Enrichment for Leadership Development in Health Equity (Health Equity Academy). The aim of the Health Equity Academy is to improve the diversity of the nursing workforce by expanding nursing education opportunities for underrepresented minority (URM) students who are economically disadvantaged to prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from the DUSON’s Accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing program. The goal of this program is to cultivate URM nursing graduates with advanced knowledge and leadership skills who can address health disparities and positively influence health care issues currently plaguing underrepresented populations. The article discusses the Health Equity Academy framework, which consists of two unique components: the Pre-entry Immersion in Nursing and the Pathway to Success in Nursing (PSN). These two components are designed to address the nursing student individual level social determinants which could be potential barriers to success as well as provide support in their academic and professional development goals.

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