Life at the Margins: Marginality and Race in Undergraduate Students and Faculty

The United States has become increasingly diverse, but this same rise in diversity is not reflected in the nursing profession. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between marginality and minority status for nursing students in two states with very different racial/ethnic minority profiles. Marginality was measured using the Koci Marginality Index. When comparing students by geographical region, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups with regard to the marginality subconcepts of intermediacy, differentiation, power, secrecy, voice, liminality, and reflectiveness. Data were also collected from nurse faculty at each of the universities in Texas and Wisconsin. Findings suggest that there are significant differences between the two faculty samples with regard to advising, tutoring, and mentoring activities, as well as referral of minority students to campus resources. Marginalization is a complicated, deeply entrenched issue that continues to significantly impact minority nursing students across the nation.

Development and Psychometric Testing of a Measure to Evaluate Faculty Engagement With Underrepresented Minority Nursing Students

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid measure of faculty response patterns to the needs of underrepresented minority (URM) nursing students. Methods: A mixed-method approach. Results: The 10-item scale was found to be valid (content validity index [CVI] = .81) and reliable (Cronbach's alpha = .81). Principle component factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded a 3-factor solution that explained 66% of the variance in faculty engagement with URM students. The Cronbach's alpha for the 3 factors ranged from .72 to .78. Higher scores were associated with older faculty who had been teaching longer and had more experience teaching URM students. Conclusion and Implications: The results of the study provide preliminary evidence for the internal consistency and content, criterion-related, and construct validity of the scale.