The program helps ESL students achieve nursing school

The increasingly diverse U.S. population and the RN shortage challenge nursing schools to coach students whose first languages ​​are apart from English.

The excellent news is that over the past decade, nursing programs on this country have seen a rise within the number of scholars who speak English as a second language (ESL). The bad news is that, in keeping with a consortium formed by Philadelphia-area nursing schools Thomas Jefferson (TJU), Holy Family and La Salle universities, these students have been deemed at-risk, leading to higher job loss rates.

The National League of Nursing reports that 17.6 percent of nursing students come from non-white populations, while the U.S. Bureau of Census reports that 13.8 percent of the U.S. population speaks little or no English.

“The onus is on educators to better recruit and retain diverse students,” says Mary Powell, MD, CRNP, assistant professor and coordinator of the adult nurse practitioner program at TJU School of Nursing in Philadelphia.

Culture shock

ESL students are sometimes challenged by teaching and learning strategies, multiple-choice query formats, and Western ways of interacting with professors and peers. “ESL nursing students need help because they struggle with colloquialisms and linguistic idioms, as well as cultural issues,” Powell says.

Many ESL students enrolled in first-time nursing programs live alone, without their usual support system. Some experience culture shock along with the trials of the educational program. Insufficient social, physical, emotional or financial resources can increase stress levels.

Although lots of these students have achieved success of their home countries and in previous careers, Powell says, they might face self-esteem issues related to entering a brand new occupation combined with the challenges of learning a brand new language and culture.

Help is on the way in which

Three nursing schools in Philadelphia have joined forces to handle the needs of ESL students. “Project ESL: Improving ESL Teaching for Nursing Students” is a collaboration between TJU, Holy Family and La Salle that goals to handle the challenges of training diverse students. In July 2007, Powell received a three-year, $653,797 grant for the project from the Health Professions Office of the Division of Nursing of the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Starting in August this yr, the project will provide resources for 40 junior and senior nursing students – 20 each from TJU and 10 each from Holy Family and La Salle, says Powell. The summer preparation program includes needs assessment, language proficiency, communication skills development, socialization into vocational education and small group work to strengthen self-confidence and cultural integration.

Students from three campuses attend workshops together after which meet in small groups on their campuses for camaraderie and support. Task-oriented sessions will guide students through clinical scenarios through which they solve problems or role-play related to being an English learner, in addition to patient-nurse scenarios.

Faculty in agreement

In January, this system organized the primary workshops for 45 TJU lecturers. Chinese student Shen Xinying (called Jessica by her American friends), BSN, shared her story as a nursing student within the US, including how she overcame the challenges of working with faculty who weren’t understanding and supportive. Jessica, who’s currently a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and an assistant professor at TJU, attributes her success to school who supported her skills.

The program will proceed to offer developmental support to nursing faculty who might not be prepared to work with non-traditional English students in a culturally competent manner. Educators will learn provide students with an optimal learning environment. This support can be provided by Lyn Buchheit, RN, MS, TESOL, a grant consultant and school member at Community College of Philadelphia whose expertise is in workforce development related to cultural diversity and educationally disadvantaged students, especially those for whom English just isn’t is the primary language.

“International students bring a richness to the classroom,” Powell says. “We want to honor their culture as they acculturate into a new career in the US. Graduates will make significant contributions to meeting the health needs of multicultural populations and contribute to the diversity of the nursing workforce.”