Changing the face of nursing: reducing ethnic and racial disparities in health.

This article reports on findings from a Nursing Diversity Workforce grant, BEST (Becoming Excellent Students in Transition to Nursing), designed to assist students from minority and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to become culturally competent registered nurses. A program of retention strategies that included peer and faculty tutoring, counseling, and financial support helped to remove barriers to success in nursing. All but 3 of the enrolled students either have graduated or are on track to doing so. Most graduates are practicing in the city where they are helping to reduce health disparities through their contributions to improved health care for vulnerable populations.