Perceptions of instructor caring behaviors between English as a second language and non-English as a second language nursing students

Abstract

<p>English as a second language (ESL) nursing students have a significantly higher attrition rate and lower National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate than their non-ESL counterparts. Instructor caring behaviors (ICBs) are the ways nursing instructors treat students with respect, taking care to avoid prejudices, stereotyping, and judgments in the teaching-learning process which present prelicensure faculty to grapple with the challenge of effectively meeting the learning needs of both ESL and non-ESL students. The purpose of this cross-sectional, comparative study, guided by Watson&rsquo;s theory of human caring, was to explore the differences in perceptions of ICBs between ESL and non-ESL prelicensure nursing students enrolled in associate of science in nursing (ASN) and bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs. A sample size of 50 participants drawn from three ASN programs, located in the Northeastern United States, completed the Nursing Students&rsquo; Perceptions of Instructor Caring survey questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a series of Mann-Whitney U tests. The study findings indicated no significant difference between prelicensure ESL and non-ESL ASN students in how they perceived ICBs. The results from this study could be used to empower nursing program administrators and faculty to better support both ESL and non-ESL students to effect positive social change so nursing could have better representation of minority populations. Future research could be conducted using a larger number of participants from both prelicensure ASN and BSN programs with diverse student populations.</p>