Belonging in Online Nursing Education

Belonging is a fundamental human need and prerequisite for higher-level learning. This sense of belonging in nursing begins during nursing education and coincides with the development of a professional nursing identity. Nurses who have a sense of belonging during their initial education typically develop a solidified professional nursing identity, are committed to the profession, and are less likely to experience burnout as nurses. Belonging is linked with retention; thus, fostering belonging may improve nursing retention among new graduate nurses. The extent to which online education affects a sense of belonging for nursing students and their future commitment to the nursing profession is not well understood. The purpose of this article is to explore belonging in online education, highlighting research within online nursing education where possible, and to review strategies to foster belonging in online nursing classrooms. Nurse educators are positioned to address barriers to belonging and implement strategies to foster a sense of belonging with their students. Future research is needed to examine benefits of a sense of belonging for students and professional nurses, related to educational delivery format, program level, and persistent impact on professional nursing practice.