title: Advancing Health Equity Through Student Empowerment and Professional Success: A Statewide Approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A lack of diversity in the nursing workforce nationally has been identified by Oregon state leaders as a factor contributing to health inequity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The goal of Advancing Health Equity Through Student Empowerment and Professional Success (HealthE STEPS) is to graduate nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve health equity within their communities. A comprehensive plan of evidence-based strategies was developed based on social determinants of health and addresses academic socialization, learning support, financial resources, networking, curriculum development, and campus culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety undergraduate nursing students participated in the program during a 2-year period. Retention of participants was 97% with graduation rates of 94%. First-time licensure pass rates were 82% and 96% of participating graduates employed in a medically underserved community.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This comprehensive innovative program of evidence-based strategies addresses health equity by developing a diverse nursing workforce to practice in medically underserved communities. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(6):316-322.].
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noone
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wros
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cortez
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Najjar
authors.forename: Leela
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magdaleno
mesh_terms: D018864:Cultural Diversity; D065246:Culturally Competent Care; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000639:trends*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D005260:Female; D000069576:Health Equity; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009922:Oregon; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011209:Power, Psychological; D015397:Program Evaluation; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012944:Social Support; D013338:Students, Nursing