Barriers and Facilitators to Success in Undergraduate Nursing Education Among Minority Students: A Systematic Review.

Background: Underrepresented minority (URM) students in nursing education are essential to address health disparities.

Purpose: To determine barriers and facilitators to success among URM students in nursing education.

Methods: CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched for English language research studies published between 1980 and 2020, which focused on barriers and facilitators to success in nursing education in the United States among URM students. Using PRISMA guidelines, 2 reviewers independently reviewed and appraised the quality of relevant articles.

Results: Among the 4435 articles surveyed, 14 met inclusion criteria. Most studies were focused on Black and Hispanic/Latinx students, and 71% were qualitative. Barriers included social isolation, caregiving demands, lack of mentorship, and inadequate financial resources. Facilitators included mentorship, positive class and curriculum, family support, financial support, and diverse/inclusive learning environments.

Conclusions: URM students face complex barriers to success in nursing education. Addressing these barriers requires a multilevel approach.