Problems in teaching ethnic minority nursing students

J Adv Nurs. 1982 May;7(3):255-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1982.tb00237.x.

Abstract

Ethnic minority nursing students are different from the majority of white students, and approaches that nursing faculties use in teaching them must also be different. Teaching these students is sometimes viewed by many faculties as a threat. However, if difficulties are recognized early and handled efficiently, educating the ethnic minority students can instead become a challenge to the nurse educators. The authors propose some ways to deal with the existing or potential difficulties that arise from teaching these students. These suggestions are made with major emphasis on the student, the teaching process, and the curriculum. Ethnic minority students need to be helped to develop a positive self-esteem, a sense of worthiness and a feeling of equality and acceptance. Nursing faculties are charged with this responsibility and must be committed to it. Furthermore, nursing curricula need to take into account cultural diversity, to increase students' understanding of the impact of cultural diversities on health care. This paper presents a viewpoint from which important questions related to problems associated with teaching minority students, could be raised.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Curriculum
  • Education, Nursing*
  • Educational Measurement
  • Ethnicity / psychology*
  • Faculty, Nursing
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Minority Groups / education*
  • Minority Groups / psychology
  • Self Concept
  • Teaching