New nursing school graduates often face a steep climb in their first hospital jobs. To fully ready themselves for those positions, they typically must “shadow” an experienced RN for up to 18 weeks. That means more preparation time for novice nurses, and a hefty expense for healthcare organizations.

What can universities do to motivate a generation of young Latinas to pursue STEM careers?

A record number of young people applied to the competitive University of California system, with Latinos seeing the largest share of applicants.

Written By Michael O'Neill

As a profession, as a school, we are committed to our work with vulnerable populations. That extends to the issue of diversity – in our student body, in our workforce, in our faculty. Whether we’re talking about minorities in general or Latinos in particular, there is a persistent gap in nursing that must be addressed by diversifying the workforce – at all levels.

by RAUL A. REYES

Changing demographics will create potential opportunities for Latino workers in the future – but only if Latinos can boost their educational attainment and surmount barriers to career readiness.