Publication: ABNF Journal
Publication Date: 01-MAY-04
Format: Online - approximately 2985 words
Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Author: McQueen, Laura ; Zimmerman, Lynn
Article Excerpt
Abstract: The increased diversity of the population in the United States and the rapid growth of the Hispanic community have implications for all aspects of American life including healthcare professions. Nursing education and practice have a responsibility and an obligation to educate culturally competent nurses for the healthcare delivery system. This paper discusses Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) role in assisting Hispanic students to receive a nursing education and serve their communities as registered nurses.
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The demographics of the United States are undergoing significant changes. Such changes, which are increasing the diversity of the population of the United States, have implications for all aspects of American life, including the health care professions, especially nursing. Nursing education programs have a responsibility and an obligation to educate culturally competent nurses for the diversity occurring in healthcare delivery systems. Although, these demographic changes affect a variety of races and ethnicities, this paper will look at the implications for nursing education and practice as they relate to Hispanic students, because the Hispanic population is the most rapidly growing minority group in the United States (Manning & Baruth, 2004; Espinoza-Herold, 2003). The number of Hispanic students entering and completing nursing programs should reflect the growing Hispanic population. Nursing educators at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) believe that we have what is needed to assist Hispanic students to enter and successfully complete our nursing programs.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the population in the year 2000 in the United States had a 75.1% White majority. The two largest minority groups were black, making up 12.3% of the population, and Hispanic, 12.5%. The Census Bureau estimates that within the next 50 years the percentage of white inhabitants will decrease to slightly over 50%, while the largest minority groups, black and Hispanic will increase to 13.6% and 24.5% respectively (Bucher & Bucher, 2004). With the increase in minority populations in the United States, there will be a more diverse population needing health care. There should, therefore, be a concurrent growth in the percentage of minority nurses to care for and serve this diverse population. Nursing educators need to examine if our nursing schools support culturally competent nursing care, which includes the acceptance of minority nursing students.
The 2000 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses by the United States Department of Health and Human Services reports white, black and Latino/Hispanic nurses represent 86.6%, 4.9%, and 2%, respectively of registered nurses. Despite the increase of minorities in nursing practice in the last ten years this department also concedes that the representation of minority nurses among the total nurse population increased 7% in 1980 to 12% in 2000. Despite these increases the diversity of the RN population remains less than that...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.
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