The lived experience of stress in latinx nursing students: Implications for recruitment and retention

Background: Health leadership groups have identified a need for more culturally competent nurses as a means to reduce health disparities. Nurses who identify as minorities are more likely to practice in underserved areas with minority populations, leading to more effective, culturally competent care. Despite efforts to increase the number of minority students graduating from nursing programs, the number remains disproportionately low and little is known about the specific experiences of the stressors experienced by these students. Method: This qualitative phenomenological study used focus group interviews to explore the lived experiences of stress in Latinx prelicensure nursing students. Results: Five main themes emerged: Stress of Coursework, School-Life Balance, Navigating Uncharted Territory, Feeling Unsupported, and Staying the Course. Conclusion: Findings help paint a picture of the experiences of Latinx students. Understanding the experiences of stress in Latinx nursing students can help to improve nursing recruitment and retainment efforts, which will increase the number of culturally competent nurses and ultimately help to reduce health disparities within the Latinx community.