Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Keri Heitner

Abstract

The social problem is the underrepresentation of nurses with racial and ethnic minority backgrounds in executive nursing leadership positions as compared to the general population. The management problem is that even when academically prepared, nurses with racial and ethnic minority backgrounds perceive that they face both singular and systemic barriers to promotional opportunities to executive nurse positions, which can lead to negative organizational and societal outcomes. A literature gap exists as to why this phenomenon persists. The purpose of this qualitative, narrative inquiry study was to explore the personal stories and lived experiences of a purposive sample of 17 executive nurses with racial and ethnic minority backgrounds concerning the barriers they faced and overcame on their pathway to an executive leadership position. The research question and subquestions focused on their personal narratives/stories and lived experiences of this phenomenon. The conceptual framework combined the intersectionality of race and internal and external capabilities. Data collected through semistructured interviews underwent a three-dimensional-space structure and thematic analysis process. Member checking served to ensure credibility. The analytic process revealed 11 themes in three major categories of facing the challenges, overcoming barriers, and where the help came from. The social change implications include new knowledge for multiple stakeholders in supporting and developing nurses from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds to assist them in achieving executive nursing leadership positions, thereby increasing the number of nurses with racial and ethnic minority backgrounds in these roles and meeting the needs of a rich and diverse society.

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