NEW MEXICO NURSING EDUCATION CONSORTIUM
2014 DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY RESULTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Diversity Assessment of New Mexico state-funded nursing programs was completed to provide
baseline data. This data addresses the goals of the Board of Nursing grant as well as the Academic
Progression in Nursing (APIN) grant, specifically 1) Increase workforce diversity by improving nursing
education for underrepresented groups (URG), particularly in rural areas and 2) Increase the number of
underrepresented minority nurses in New Mexico with BSN or graduate degrees.
The assessment summary is representative of sixteen New Mexico state-funded nursing programs. The
summary is reflective of the following five areas: diversity efforts across nursing programs, student
diversity, faculty and staff diversity, diversity outreach and engagement, and sources of student support.
The summary outcomes reflect the following areas of opportunity for New Mexico nursing programs:
formalizing a definition of diversity, offering a cultural competency course and/or training, developing
recruitment strategies for URG faculty and staff, continuing to engage prospective URG students into
nursing, and identifying resources to support URG students with mentoring, tutoring, and financial
support.
The information gained through this assessment will be used by the APIN Diversity Committee in leading
the diversity efforts of NMNEC. The committee consists of academic faculty and staff, academic
advisors, admission advisors, hospital and nursing partners, and the New Mexico Educational Assistance
Foundation. The committee will propose frameworks that will aid nursing programs in engaging a more
diverse nursing student population.
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NEW MEXICO NURSING EDUCATION CONSORTIUM
2014 DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY RESULTS
This summary illustrates responses from sixteen of the nineteen state-funded nursing programs from
across the state of New Mexico. The summary results highlight the diversity efforts that occur at
higher education institutions throughout the state. It also demonstrates responses in areas of diversity
efforts, student diversity, faculty and staff diversity, diversity outreach and engagement, and sources
of student support for underrepresented groups.
1. 84% (16 of 19) response rate from state-funded nursing programs
2. Diversity Efforts at your institution:
A. Definition of Diversity
 44% (7 of 16) of programs responded that their institution has a formal definition of
diversity.
 One of these seven nursing programs also responded that their program has a formal
definition of diversity.
 56% (9 of 16) of programs responded that they do not have a formal institutional or
nursing program definition of diversity.
B. Times Courses are Offered
 88% (average of 14 of 16) of state-funded nursing programs responded that they offer
on-campus nursing and core courses on campus during traditional hours of 8:00 AM12:00 PM & 12:00 PM-5:00 PM.
 56% (9 of 16) of the nursing program (ADN, BSN, and RN-BSN) offer nursing courses
online. One of sixteen nursing programs offers nursing classes on campus during the
evening hours of 5:00 PM-9:00 PM.
 One of sixteen nursing programs offers core courses online only.
C. Days Courses are Offered
 The responding nursing programs indicated that nursing courses are offered on a variety
of days of the week. For example: Monday-Saturday; Monday-Friday; MondayThursday; and Monday-Wednesday.
 50% (8 of 16) of nursing programs responded that core courses are offered Monday –
Friday.
 31% (5 of 16) of nursing programs offer core courses on Saturday.
3. Student Diversity:
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NEW MEXICO NURSING EDUCATION CONSORTIUM
2014 DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY RESULTS
A. Cultural Competency Courses
 75% (12 of 16) of nursing programs responded that cultural competency concepts are
incorporated throughout the curriculum.
 25% of these 12 (3 of 12) nursing programs offer specific courses that focus on cultural
competency.
 None of the nursing programs indicated that their program plans to offer a cultural
competency course in the next 12-24 months.
B. Recruitment Strategies for Underrepresented Groups (URGs)
 One of sixteen nursing programs responded that their institution has specific
recruitment strategies for Underrepresented Groups.
 One of sixteen nursing programs responded that their nursing program plans to develop
recruitment strategies for Underrepresented Groups in the next 12-24 months.
C. Preferential Selection for Underrepresented Groups (URGs)
 One of sixteen nursing programs responded that their program offers preferential
selection by awarding one additional admission point to URG applicants.
 One of sixteen nursing programs responded that their program will be reconsidering
adopting criteria that offers preferential selection of URG students in the next 12-24
months.
 19% (3 of 16) responded that their nursing programs award additional selection points
for in-county and in-state residents.
D. Financial Support Specifically for Underrepresented Groups
 31% (5 of 16) responded that their nursing programs offer financial support specifically
available to URG students. Examples include, Indian Health Service Grant, Mexican
Consulate, Private Endowment Scholarships, and others.
 One of sixteen nursing programs responded that they are considering a new source of
financial support for URG students.
4. Faculty & Staff Diversity:
A. Faculty & Staff Cultural Competency Training
 31% (5 of 16) responded that their state-funded nursing programs offer specific cultural
competency training.
 Three of sixteen responded that state-funded nursing programs plan to provide cultural
competency training to faculty and staff in the next 12-24 months.
B. Recruitment Strategies for Underrepresented Groups (URG) Faculty
 None of the 16 state-funded nursing programs have recruitment strategies in place for
URG faculty, and there are no plans to implement a strategy in the next 12-24 months.
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NEW MEXICO NURSING EDUCATION CONSORTIUM
2014 DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY RESULTS

13% (2 of 16) of the respondents indicate that they are not actively pursuing
recruitment of URG faculty because of difficulties of filling current positions.
C. Faculty & Staff Reflect Community Demographics
 50% (8 of 16) nursing programs responded that the faculty and staff in their nursing
programs reflect the community demographics.
 25% (4 of 16) responded that the faculty and staff in their nursing programs are
somewhat reflective of community demographics.
 None of the sixteen responding nursing programs have practices in place to increase
diversity for faculty and staff.
 One of sixteen indicated that the program is unable to recruit men because the pay is
not comparative to practice.
 One of sixteen indicated that the program is unable to recruit, with any regularity, fully
qualified candidates and felt that a diversity policy for recruitment would further restrict
the pool.
5. Diversity Outreach and Engagement:
A. Opportunities That Engage Prospective Students Into Nursing
 56% (9 of 16) responded that practices are in place to engage prospective students into
nursing. Examples include, partnerships with healthcare-based charter schools, dual
credit high school options for pre-nursing coursework, allied health care
courses/certificates, PCA courses in high schools, etc.
 One of sixteen respondents indicated that there are 203 declared pre-nursing students
as a result of practicesused at their institution.
 One of sixteen respondents indicated that they are considering adding a pre-nursing
course in the next 12-24 months to attract a more diverse population.
B. Participation With Local Elementary, Middle, and/or High Schools in Career Fairs or
University/College Fairs
 88% (14 of 16) of nursing programs responded that they participate with local
elementary, middle, or high schools.
 29% (4 of 14) of nursing programs responded that they participate with elementary
schools in addition to middle/high schools.
 Two of the sixteen respondents indicated that they plan to partner with
primary/secondary level schools to encourage interest in nursing in the next 12-24
months.
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NEW MEXICO NURSING EDUCATION CONSORTIUM
2014 DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY RESULTS
C. Specific Student Organizations Related to Diversity in Which URG Nursing Students Can be
Involved
56% (9 of 16)of nursing programs responded that there are specific organizations
available to students. For example: Project for New Mexico Graduates of Color
(PNMGC), El Centro de la Raza, African American Student Services, American Indian
Student Services, Black Graduate and Professional Student Associate, Engaging Latino
Communities for Education (ENLACE).
D. Diverse Clinical Placement Opportunities for Students Outside of Common Hospital
Placements
 69% (11 of 16) of nursing programs responded that they provide diverse clinical
placement settings, including any/all mentioned in the question. Examples include
Health Care for the Homeless, Veterans hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers,
School-Based Health Centers, Indian Health Services, United World College, Communitybased services, Santa Fe Indian School, Navajo Prep High School, etc.
6. Sources of Student Support:
A. Student Support Specifically for Underrepresented Group (URG) Students
 Two of sixteen responding programs provide student support specifically for URG
students.
 One of sixteen responding programs indicated that special accommodations can be
arranged through the Student Services center.
 One of sixteen responding programs indicated that there is a program specialist for the
nursing program.
 One of sixteen responding programs indicated that their nursing program is planning to
develop student support resources for URG students in the next 12-24 months.
B. Student Mentoring with an Emphasis on Underrepresented Group (URG) Students
 None of the 16 responding nursing programs have mentoring specifically geared toward
URG students.
 One of the sixteen responding nursing programs plans to develop or adopt a mentoring
program that emphasizes URG students in the next 12-24 months.
 One of the sixteen responding nursing programs indicated that their program has the
most success with Level 3 and Level 4 students serving as mentors for students in Levels
1 and 2.
C. Tutoring with an Emphasis on Underrepresented Group (URG) Students
 One of the sixteen responding nursing programs indicated that their tutoring is targeted
at URG students.
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NEW MEXICO NURSING EDUCATION CONSORTIUM
2014 DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY RESULTS

One of the sixteen responding nursing programs indicated that, in the next 12-14
months they plan to develop a tutoring program with an emphasis on meeting the
needs of URG students.
D. Dedicated Resources (beyond mentoring and tutoring) In Place to Support
Underrepresented Group (URG) Students When They are Completing Pre-nursing or Core
(prerequisites)
 38% (6 of 16) nursing programs responded that they offer dedicated resources. For
example: Achievement coach, ESL and Developmental tutoring, Multiple offices for atrisk URG students: Intrusive Advising and Counseling, Native American Center, etc.
E. Dedicated Resources (beyond mentoring and tutoring) In Place to Support URG Students
When They are in the Nursing Program
 25% (4 of 16) nursing programs responded that they have additional resources.
 One of sixteen responding nursing programs indicated that this included using some
HED monies and other restricted grant funds to support students through financial
stipends, textbook loans, and emergency funds.
F. Development or Planned Development of Other Innovative Diversity Efforts That Have
Not Been Specifically Listed in this Survey
 One of sixteen responding nursing programs indicated that they plan to develop a
diversity program to support at-risk American Indian students.
18 June 2014