title: Affirming At-Risk Minorities for Success (ARMS): retention, graduation, and success on the NCLEX-RN.
abstract: Increasing ethnic and racial diversity in the U.S. population combined with inadequate minority representation in the nursing profession requires innovative strategies to recruit, retain, and graduate nurses from diverse ethnic and racial populations. Affirming At-Risk Minorities for Success (ARMS) was funded by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Basic Nurse Education and Practice Program grant. Participants (N = 64) were enrolled in a baccalaureate degree nursing program that has been predominantly White/ Anglo and is located in the south-central region of the United States. Research objectives were to increase program retention, graduation rates, and success on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for minority or educationally disadvantaged students through programmatic interventions, including mentoring and advising, tutoring, and educational seminars. The comparison group was non-ARMS students derived from a comprehensive database (N = 265). Results indicated that interventions positively affected graduation rates (measure of retention = 98%), significantly affected grades in the Leadership-Management capstone course, and eliminated the effects of ethnicity on NCLEX-RN success.
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Center for Instruction 370, 3rd Floor, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA. judith.sutherland@tamucc.edu
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: Mary Jane
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012073:Remedial Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012944:Social Support; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas; D014146:Training Support / Q000458:organization & administration*