Operationalizing equity-mindedness for graduate English as a second language students in online nursing programs.

BACKGROUND

The success of graduate nursing students who speak English as a second language (ESL) is critical to addressing the shortage of diverse advanced practice providers, yet evidence focuses exclusively on prelicensure students, predominantly in face-to-face contexts.

PURPOSE: This study assessed graduate ESL nursing students' perceptions of academic barriers in an online program and identified strategies to mitigate threats to equity.

METHODS

Forty-one (n = 41) student responses to a 23-item survey were analyzed using a convergent mixed methods approach. The sample included students from nine clinical and non-clinical specialty tracks, and 27 unique native languages were identified.

RESULTS

Confidence in their ability to complete the program was high. Three priority challenges emerged from the integrated analysis: (a) the time burden of learning, (b) the impact of language on testing, and (c) communication-related vulnerability. Exploratory correlations identified statistically significant relationships between native language and the perceived difficulty of speaking in English.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings distinguish the experiences of graduate ESL students and illustrate a heightened need for linguistically responsive pedagogy in online courses. The identified recommendations are rooted in equity-mindedness and supported by multidisciplinary evidence.