“Let's Call a Spade a Spade. My Barrier is Being a Black Student”: Challenges for Black Undergraduate Nursing Students in a Western Canadian Province

Abstract

Background We need more understanding of experiences that hinder or promote equity, diversity, and inclusion of Black students in undergraduate nursing programs to better inform their retention and success. Purpose To explore documented experiences of Black undergraduate nursing students, review barriers affecting their retention and success, and suggest evidence-based strategies to mitigate barriers that influence their well-being. Methods We used a focused qualitative ethnography for recruiting Black former and current students (N = 18) in a Western Canadian province's undergraduate nursing programs via purposive and snowball sampling. Most participants were female, 34 years or younger, with over 50% currently in a nursing program. Five participants later attended a focus group to further validate the findings from the individual interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to describe participant characteristics; we applied a collaborative constant comparison and thematic analysis approach to their narratives. Results Challenges influencing Black students’ retention and success fell into four main interrelated subthemes: disengaging and hostile learning environments, systemic institutional and program barriers, navigation of personal struggles in disempowering learning environments, and recommendations to improve the delivery of nursing programs. Participants also recommended ways to improve diversity and mitigate these barriers, such as nursing programs offering anti-oppression courses, platforms for safe/healthy dialogue, and more culturally sensitive learning-centered programs and responsive supports. Conclusions The study findings underscore the need for research to better define nursing program conditions that nurture safe, learning-centred environments for Black students. A rethink of non-discriminatory, healthy learning–teaching engagements of Black students and the mitigation of anti-Black racism can best position institutions to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion of Black students.