| Purpose. Enrollment data concerning black nursing students indicate blacks represent 8.3% of first-year enrollments in education programs for RNs and 5.2% of graduates. This is significantly lower than the percentage of blacks (11.5%) in the U.S. population. The purpose of this study was to identify model practices that could enhance the marketing, recruitment, and retention of black students in baccalaureate nursing programs and in nursing.;Methods and procedures. An investigator-developed questionnaire was mailed to 49 nursing schools to determine the effectiveness of recruitment and retention strategies as applied to black students. Twenty-three usable questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 47%.;Printed materials requested from nursing schools were audited using an investigator-developed marketing audit tool and a forced-choice questionnaire to evaluate the image projected by them for black students. Data were analyzed descriptively.;Results. Black enrollment in nursing schools has not changed demonstrably over the last 10 years. Seventy-six percent of the surveyed schools indicated they had an affirmative action goal, although the enrollment of black students remained at a level between 0 and 5 for the 1986-87 academic year. Black students were the same as their white counterparts in terms of age, sex, and grade-point average, although blacks experienced more difficulty in gaining admission to nursing school.;High schools (78%) and community colleges (61%) were the main markets for recruiting black students. Ninety-five percent of nursing schools did not have funds for recruitment. Traditional recruitment approaches were rated as "mildly successful.".;Two approaches rated as successful in retaining black nursing students were use of black counselors and student housing. The college catalog was no longer the method used most frequently for marketing nursing programs. Eighteen percent of nursing schools displayed a highly favorable image for black students.;Conclusions. Recruitment and retention of black nursing students deserve a fresh approach. That as few as five black students per year are enrolled and graduated from the average nursing school is unsatisfactory.;Nursing school administrators and personnel need to examine their commitment to enrolling and graduating black students. To increase the number of nurses in the health care field, creative approaches need to be developed to recruit and retain black students in baccalaureate nursing programs. |
