Abstract
Nationally, baccalaureate attrition rates are higher among students of color when compared to white learners. Racial microaggressions are a pervasive form of subtle racism reflecting implicit biases that reinforce oppressive power differentials based on skin color. This concept is just beginning to be explored in nursing education. Using underpinnings from Tinto’s Institutional Departure Model, the purpose of this study was to examine how baccalaureate nursing students who identify as a person of color perceive the impact of racial microaggressions on academic integration, sense of belonging, and persistence to graduation. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using a purposeful sample, followed by modified snowball sampling. Fifteen participants recruited from two predominantly white baccalaureate nursing programs in the Northeast US were interviewed. Most participants identified as Black, African American, or Asian. All participants either experienced or witnessed racial microaggressions in their role as nursing student, most of which were not reported to faculty. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase process of thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged, Microaggressions are Common, Burden of Microaggressions, and Desired Solutions. Most of the racial microaggressions occurred at clinical from patients and were not debriefed by clinical instructors, indicating the need for more training. Nurse educators should validate students’ experienced reality and lead efforts for micro intervention development. Intentional curricular integration pertaining to the effects of racism on health and opportunity gaps is also needed.