Challenges of Online Nursing Education in the Lower Mississippi River Delta
Abstract: To meet the challenges of nurses, nursing faculty, and nursing student shortages, the availability of online education has offered an alternative to meet the needs of the Delta Region of the U.S. This online education is offered in the only comprehensive public university in the region, recognized for offering special services to the people of the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. To address the needs of the 7–state Delta Region, the offering of online nursing education has rapidly increased in enrollment and popularity. The challenges of this underserved population include, a culturally diverse population of non-traditional students, in mid to lower socioeconomic groups, living in rural areas that are distanced from the University. The resolution of these many challenges are examined, with proposals to promote education in this online population of nursing students.
Presider: Angela Schmidt, Arkansas State University