Title: A Literature Review of the Impact of Holistic Admission on Nursing Student Diversity
Name: Ashley Manske
Primary Presenters: Ashley Manske
College of Nursing
Research Doctorate (PhD)
Faculty Sponsor(s): Dr. Teresa Johnson
A Literature Review of the Impact of Holistic Admission on Nursing Student Diversity
Problem: One of the most important ways to eliminate disparities in health care is to have the diversity of the profession reflect the diversity of the population they serve. Traditional quantitative data such as test scores and grades are not sufficient to develop a diverse student body. In an attempt to decrease diversity in the health professions, many, including nursing, have changed their admission practices to a holistic process to increase diversity.
Purpose: The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine the impact holistic admission processes have on the diversification of the nursing student body.
Search Strategy: PRISMA guidelines were followed for this integrative literature review. MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERC, ERIC, and Google Scholar search engines were utilized. Articles that included original research on the holistic admission process and its impact on diversity in nursing were included. Search terms included “holistic admission” AND/OR “holistic review”, and “nursing”. Inclusion criteria included: available in the English language, conducted in nursing schools, were published in academic journals between 2003 to 2020. Seven journal articles met inclusion criteria.
Results of literature search: There is a paucity of research regarding holistic admission in nursing. The available literature suggests that holistic admission processes do increase the odds of developing a diverse student population. The strength of the data is variable. While some of the authors provide statistical analysis, others do not.
Synthesis of Evidence: Diversity categories ranged widely, although racial and gender categories were the main focus. Students that experienced either educational or economic “disadvantage” were also considered, although definitions varied between researchers.
Implications for Practice: There is a lack of strong evidence for holistic admission in nursing because of the lack of research on this topic. Future research needs to include well defined and expanded diversity categories and consider how to develop a diverse student pipeline.
Hi Ashley, this is such an important topic! Did you notice anything with health status, mental health, or disability in the literature? I don’t see anything re: ADN, BSN, or LPN students.
Also, this is such a beautiful presentation. May I show it to my undergraduate students? I teach at a college that admits based only on TEAS score for our ADN and BSN programs, and does not require TEAS for LPN. It’s an interesting contrast to UWM’s system.
The focus of these articles was primarily on BSN students. Unfortunately, the variables are pretty limited (in nursing and in other health professions), and there was nothing about health status, mental health or disability of the students. I think part of the problem is how to extract data on these variables. The university legal department will have a say in which variables are part of the admission process, and often this is the point at which researchers extract data. You have my permission to show it to your undergraduate students!
Nicely done! You are making great progress.
Congratulations Ashley! This is excellent. Best wishes.