Waawanyanka Wounspe-Wankatuya: degree completion, bicultural accountability, and study abroad for tribal nursing students

Abstract

This dissertation centers the lived experiences of Tribal nursing students, amplifying their voices through Indigenous research methodologies that emphasize relationality and communal values. The study highlights pathways to student success while identifying systemic challenges within predominantly white institutions. Tribal nursing students remain underrepresented in the profession, and their experiences are often examined through deficit-based or Western frameworks. The purpose of this three-manuscript dissertation is to document degree attainment and pathways to success, examine bicultural accountability within nursing program experiences, and explore the impacts of Indigenous knowledge exchange on students' academic, cultural, and professional development. The first manuscript investigates the successes and challenges associated with implementing a pre-entry support intervention for Tribal college transfer students entering their first semester of a nursing program. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, data were collected through talking circles to center student stories alongside quantitative measures. Findings indicate that the pre-entry intervention provided meaningful academic and relational support during the transition into nursing coursework. This manuscript contributes to addressing gaps in the literature by making visible the hidden curriculum and institutional barriers faced by Tribal nursing students. Building on this work, the second manuscript examines critical aspects of students' stories that required deeper analysis. Using transcripts from the initial study, narratives were analyzed through the bicultural accountability winter count theoretical framework. The framework centered Indigenous perspectives, revealing where Indigenous worldviews were absent or devalued in classroom and relational contexts, sometimes resulting in harm. It also highlighted how relational and communal values fostered students' sense of belonging and engagement. The third manuscript employs Indigenous autoethnography and collective storying to examine the impacts of an Indigenous knowledge exchange short-term study abroad experience. Findings demonstrate how Indigenous-led learning environments supported self-reflection, cultural affirmation, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge into nursing practice. Student stories also identify barriers that contribute to Tribal students opting out of study abroad opportunities. Collectively, these manuscripts provide a comprehensive examination of Indigenous nursing pathways and emphasize the importance of relational accountability, Indigenous methodologies, and culturally grounded supports to improve retention, expand Indigenous perspectives in nursing education, and foster transformative learning experiences with lasting impact.