Gender Differences and Similarities in Accelerated Nursing Education Programs: Evidence of Success From the New Careers in Nursing Program AIM The aim of the study was to examine the profile of male students in accelerated nursing education programs (ANEPs) focusing on key demographic, educational, and outcome variables and compare male and female students on these variables. BACKGROUND Though ANEPs have proliferated over the last two decades, there has been little study of students enrolled in these programs and, consequently, the role ANEPs could play in enhancing nursing workforce diversity. METHOD This study is a secondary analysis of data collected from 3,502 students who participated in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing Program from 2008 to 2016. RESULTS ANEP completion and NCLEX-RN® success rates were strong overall. Male and female ANEP students differed on several dimensions often associated with academic success, differences that have relevance for purposes of teaching, research, and program planning. CONCLUSION ANEPs could be an effective mechanism for increasing the gender, racial, and ethnic diversity of the nursing workforce.

The Power of Yet No abstract available

Reading List for Nurse Educators: Stretching Beyond Nursing and Health Care No abstract available

Nursing Students’ Professional Value Development: Can We Do Better? AIM The purpose of this study was to identify whether differences exist in nursing professional values based on program type and/or geographic location. BACKGROUND Deliberate inclusion of values formation is critical to nursing education and high-quality nursing care. There is limited research comparing professional values development among students in all types of prelicensure RN programs and no research comparing students’ professional values between geographic regions. METHOD A secondary analysis was completed of original data collected in three descriptive studies using the Nursing Professional Value Scale-Revised®. RESULTS Findings indicate prelicensure nursing students are educated with the values integrated within the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. Significant differences (p < .05) were found when comparing geographic locations, program types, and Nursing Professional Value Scale-Revised factor scores. CONCLUSION Additional research is needed to identify best practices for overall values formation in all program types.

Do Uncivil Nursing Students Become Uncivil Nurses? A National Survey of Faculty BACKGROUND Faculty frequently express anecdotal concerns that poorly behaving nursing students will go on to behave poorly as licensed nurses. Unfortunately, no empirical evidence exists to support or refute these concerns. AIM The purpose of this study was to determine what knowledge faculty have of poorly behaving nursing students who also behaved poorly in subsequent practice. METHOD A cross-sectional, descriptive design using online survey methods was used to gather data from a national sample of nurse educators. RESULTS Approximately 37 percent of respondents reported having personal knowledge of a former poorly behaving student who went on to display poor behavior as a licensed provider; 71 percent reported that at least one student had graduated in the previous year whom they thought should not have graduated based on unprofessional behaviors. CONCLUSION Study findings provide troubling evidence that at least some poorly behaving students continue to demonstrate unprofessional behavior as licensed nurses.

Retention of Nursing Students: An Integrative Review AIM The purpose of this integrative review is to identify ways to decrease student attrition in schools of nursing. BACKGROUND Many nursing students have anxiety, lack finances, face an absence of faculty or peer support, and have decreased overall satisfaction with the realities of nursing. This integrative review demonstrates that a significant percentage of nursing students leave school before completing their program. METHOD Manuscripts were selected for this study to evaluate effective interventions to increase retention rates for first-year nursing students. Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria. RESULTS Interventions to decrease attrition include effective teaching methods and styles; utilization of an advisor, clinical coach, or mentor; stress reduction; faculty support; students’ background; and perceptions of nursing. CONCLUSION Educators have the option of using several supportive measures to decrease attrition in nursing programs.

Veterans as Students in Higher Education: A Scoping Review AIM The aim of this study was to determine what is known about military veterans as students in higher education and inform nurse educators. BACKGROUND Military veterans are increasingly enrolling in higher education and in nursing programs and may provide a recruitment source for nursing education. METHOD A scoping review of literature published after 2011 was performed to determine characteristics of military veterans as students. Twelve sources were identified. RESULTS Military veterans have multiple strengths yet may also experience barriers to success. As a result, veterans may struggle to transition from the rigid military environment to the more relaxed college setting. CONCLUSION Military veterans may provide a recruitment source for the nursing workforce. Gaining knowledge of the strengths and barriers faced by these students may help nurse educators plan strategies for achieving academic success.

Understanding the Experiences of Nursing Student Veterans AIM The aim of this study was to understand the experiences of veterans enrolled in prelicensure nursing programs. BACKGROUND As the number of veterans enrolling in higher education continues to remain high, nurse faculty working with veteran students are faced with the challenge of meeting their unique educational needs and assisting them as they transition to professional nursing roles. METHOD A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to understand the experiences of veterans enrolled in prelicensure nursing programs. RESULTS Findings from interviews with nine veteran nursing students revealed four themes: maneuvering through the mental mind shift, battling conflicting forces, avoiding landmines, and accepting support. CONCLUSION Based upon these findings, recommendations are presented for nursing programs and faculty to use to support students.

Discovering a New Purpose: Veterans’ Transition to Nursing Education With the downsizing of military forces and the support of GI Bill benefits, a growing number of veterans are returning to college. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the researchers sought to understand the transition experiences of 11 veterans enrolled in baccalaureate nursing programs. Data suggest the transition process is challenging, marked by significant change in structure and culture from one context to the next. Veterans return to school to learn and seek meaning and purpose in the pursuit of a nursing degree. Faculty understanding of military culture is a first step in guiding the student veteran to success in nursing education.

Meeting Texas Nursing Workforce Needs Through Recruitment and Retention Initiatives Evidence demonstrates health inequities can be ameliorated by a workforce whose diversity reflects the population served. The diversity of the Texas nursing workforce, however, is not reflective of the Texas population. This article reports on a project to recruit and retain minority nurses in Texas. The project goals were to improve enrollment for minority students, specifically Hispanic students, in an online South Texas baccalaureate nursing program (traditional BSN, second-degree BSN, and RN to BSN); facilitate student success; and promote student satisfaction. These goals were successfully achieved at one academic institution.