| Few post-secondary and adult education organizations specifically target and tailor health professional education to Aboriginal students. The health professions are not a popular choice for Aboriginal students. The lack of a significant pool of Aboriginal nurses impacts communities. Yet, representation of Aboriginal students remains low in North American schools of nursing. Several barriers are related to nursing education for Aboriginal people, and they are not fully understood. There is a need to better understand how nursing education for Aboriginal students should be structured. The purpose of this mixed methods Delphi technique research project was to describe the optimal structure of nursing education for Aboriginal students in Ontario, Canada. A Council of Advisors comprised of 16 experts on nursing education and Aboriginal students had the opportunity to build consensus about ideal programs for Aboriginal students so that programs can be designed, redesigned or enhanced, thus increasing the number of Aboriginal students who can be successful in nursing. The research findings enlighten and inform educators and educational leaders about programs for Aboriginal People. In addition, the findings can be used to shape education policy, research, and practice in the area of nursing education for Aboriginal adult learners. |
