GNSA Bulletin: February 2026

This Month's Highlight: Equitable Access in Nursing Education

Achieving effective changes in nursing education by promoting equitable access is critical to everything we practice in nursing, and we must begin this work in the classroom. It demands our attention and advocacy. We should care about this issue not only because the pedological underpinnings represent who nurses are at the core of professional and academic values, but because the very health of our communities is at stake. When nursing programs lower financial hurdles, provide robust academic support, and actively recruit from underrepresented groups, they produce graduates who often become champions for vulnerable patients. Many of these nurses carry an innate understanding of the cultural and socio-economic factors that influence health, enabling them to craft interventions that are respectful, tailored, and thus more likely to succeed. They become role models and advocates for change, pushing healthcare systems to be more responsive to the needs of the poor, the rural, and the marginalized. Over time, supporting equitable access in nursing education can help break the cycle of health disparities: more local providers in shortage areas leads to earlier detection of illnesses, more consistent follow-up, and ultimately better health outcomes across generations of patients. In essence, an investment in a diverse nursing student body is an investment in a healthier future for underserved communities. It means that a child in a low-income urban neighborhood might see a community health nurse who shares his cultural background, building trust for her advice on managing asthma. It means that an elderly patient in a remote rural county will have a nurse practitioner nearby, rather than needing to travel for hours for basic care. These are the real, life-saving differences that equitable nursing education can achieve.

By ensuring that aspiring nurses from all socio-economic backgrounds can enter and succeed in nursing programs, we cultivate a workforce that more closely reflects the diverse patient populations they serve. Nursing scholars have long noted that a more inclusive nursing workforce is better equipped to understand and address the needs of underserved groups, ultimately improving quality of care (Adams & Price-Lea, 2004). Conversely, when financial hardship or lack of support prevents capable students from pursuing nursing, the profession misses the opportunity to pursue, develop, and grow talent that could contribute to health equity. Ensuring equitable access through scholarships, mentorship, and admissions policies that recognize potential beyond test scores – lays the groundwork for a nursing workforce that can provide compassionate, knowledgeable care to every segment of society. This is not only an ethical imperative but a practical strategy to bolster our healthcare system’s responsiveness to all communities. Removing socio-economic barriers in nursing education has a powerful ripple effect on healthcare outcomes. When students from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds become nurses, they often carry with them a deep commitment to give back to their communities. Studies indicate that nurses and advanced practice nurses from underrepresented minority groups are more likely to work in resource-poor areas within the same neighborhoods or rural regions they grew up in or feel connected to, thereby filling critical gaps in care (Adams & Price-Lea, 2004). For example, a recent analysis in JAMA Network Open found that primary care practices employing nurse practitioners (NPs) were disproportionately located in communities with lower incomes and higher health needs, suggesting that NPs are playing a key role in expanding access in underserved areas (O’Reilly-Jacob et al., 2025). In short, equitable nursing education access doesn’t only uplift the students who receive opportunities, it uplifts entire communities by strengthening the local healthcare infrastructure and improving patient outcomes.

In conclusion, equitable access in nursing education is a powerful driver of positive change in healthcare. By lifting socio-economic barriers for nursing students, we do more to promote equitable access in education we uphold our profession, we strengthen the fabric of our healthcare system. The research resoundingly shows that nurses from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds often return to serving the very communities that need them most, improving access to care for underserved populations (Marrast et al., 2014; Komaromy et al., 1996). As a result, patients benefit from caregivers who understand their challenges and are dedicated to making a difference at the grassroots level. From inner-city clinics to rural health outposts, these nurses are leading improvements in preventive care, chronic disease management, and patient education, all of which contribute to better outcomes. It enlarges the pipeline of skilled nurses at a time of nursing shortages, and it helps ensure that every community, regardless of its wealth or ZIP code, we can have compassionate, high-quality nursing care. Ultimately, championing equity in nursing education means believing that talent and dedication in nursing know no racial or economic bounds. It means acting on the evidence that a diverse nursing workforce saves lives and builds trust in healthcare. By continuing to push for policies and programs that remove barriers for aspiring nurses, we take concrete steps toward a more just healthcare system, one in which excellent care is available to all, and the background of a nurse is seen as an asset that can uplift the well-being of entire communities.

References (APA 7th ed.):

Adams, V. W., & Price-Lea, P. J. (2004). A critical need for a more diverse nursing workforce. North Carolina Medical Journal, 65(2), 98–100.

Komaromy, M., Grumbach, K., Drake, M., Vranizan, K., Lurie, N., Keane, D., & Bindman, A. B. (1996). The role of Black and Hispanic physicians in providing health care for underserved populations. New England Journal of Medicine, 334(20), 1305–1310. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199605163342006

Marrast, L. M., Zallman, L., Woolhandler, S., Bor, D. H., & McCormick, D. (2014). Minority physicians’ role in the care of underserved patients: Diversifying the physician workforce may be key in addressing health disparities. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(2), 289–291. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.12756

O’Reilly-Jacob, M., Featherston, K. G., Barnes, H., Markowitz, A. J., & Buerhaus, P. I. (2025). Socioeconomic characteristics of communities with primary care practices with nurse practitioners. JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2462360. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.62360

Akeeka Davis, RN, MSN-Ed, MBA, BSHCS, AMB-BC
PhD Student
Villanova University
GNSA Leadership Council Member