The Coppin Academy for Pre-Nursing Success: a model for the recruitment and retention of minority students.

There is a clearly documented need for greater minority representation in professional nursing as the nation grows more diversified. Increasing the ranks of minority nurses will assist both in alleviating the nursing shortage and in addressing the health care disparities that plague our healthcare systems. One barrier has been the recruitment and retention of underserved minority nursing students. To address this, the Coppin State University Helene Fuld School of Nursing (HFSON) in Baltimore, Maryland developed and implemented the "Coppin Academy for Pre-Nursing Success" (CAPS), a comprehensive year-round pre-entry baccalaureate preparation program, targeting high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in a nursing career. CAPS graduates have met or exceeded goals in retention, passing rate on the nursing licensure exam, and service to the community. As a result, the program is growing, and the School plans to replicate the CAPS model, not only in surrounding communities, but in other vulnerable and under-served urban settings in the nation.