Listening and responding to the voices of Latina prenursing students.
OBJECTIVE
To describe how successful Latina prenursing students experience and respond to academic challenges.


BACKGROUND
Nursing schools are challenged to enhance persistence and graduation rates of Hispanic students to meet the health care needs of the Hispanic population in the United States.


METHODS
The researcher used private semistructured interviews to explore the lived experiences of six successful Latina students when they encountered academic challenges in prerequisite nursing courses.


RESULTS
Seven superordinate themes emerged through interpretative phenomenological analysis: a) facing academic challenges, b) recognizing emotional response, c) seeking help, d) transcending academic challenges, e) owning knowledge, f) persevering, and g) living out values and beliefs.


CONCLUSIONS
Faculty need to recognize and respond to the importance of family, relationships, values, and beliefs to academic success among Latinas. Promoting academic success of Latina prenursing students helps prepare a health care workforce that reflects the population of the United States.
Julie
J
Nadeau
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004507:Education, Nursing, Associate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult