The experience of Aboriginal nursing students with the native access program to nursing in the nursing education program of Saskatchewan

Abstract

The ability of nursing and the health care system to respond appropriately to the needs of an increasingly racially diverse population requires an increasingly diverse workforce. Efforts to increase the diversity of nurses in nursing schools across Canada and the United States have been less than successful. The Native Access Program to Nursing (NAPN) is a support and advocacy program geared towards recruitment and retention of Aboriginal nursing students in the Nursing Education Program in the province of Saskatchewan. This study examined the experiences of Aboriginal nursing students with NAPN in order to ascertain the students' perceptions of the program's effectiveness. Twelve nursing students and recent graduates were interviewed about their experiences with the NAPN. The researcher spoke with three students from each of the four years of the program, allowing for different perspectives based on experience in the nursing program and with NAPN. Student participant comments were examined for evidence of the nature and extent of the support that NAPN provides to the students. Results show that the students were very satisfied with NAPN, its staff, and programs. Elements of the program that had special meaning for the students were discussed in greater detail. Cultural aspects, accessibility to NAPN services, flexibility of service, and staff attitude were the qualities that the students identified as being most helpful in NAPN.