Abstract
Background: Healthcare disparities exists in California at alarming levels. The Latinx communities suffer from a disproportionate rise in disease coupled with poor access to quality healthcare. These disparities are compounded by a lack of Latinx Registered Nurses in the state that possess a unique skill set to care for these patients. The pipeline for education of registered nurses is compacted with too many students and yet Latinx students are frequently falling away from the field because their capital is misaligned with university selection criteria.
Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to analyze reasons why first-generation Latinx students select nursing as a major and explore their lived experiences as they completed prerequisite nursing courses.
Methods: Interviews were conducted with seven first-generation Latinx students with an expressed interest in Nursing. The theory of cultural capital wealth and critical race theory were utilized to frame the benefits of admitting first-generation Latinx students into nursing programs.
Results: First-generation Latinx students remained resilient in their efforts despite rigorous program prerequisites and various influences internal and external to the university. A new major of Health Science has allowed students to explore other healthcare professions and provide more options for students to complete their undergraduate studies.
Conclusion: The pipeline to nursing school is dripping, many of the students leaving the pipeline are first-generation Latinx students. A response from the university to coordinate the various existing student success programs specifically for Latinx students with an expressed desire to become a nurse exists. The Health Science major offers a more complete view of allied health professions and the important role they play in reducing health disparities for the Latinx communities.