Introduction: A growing number of North Korean defector students enter nursing schools in South Korea. Many of them, however, quit nursing school and fail to obtain a nurse license. The purpose of this study was to describe the educational barriers and needs of North Korean defector nursing students. Method: A qualitative descriptive approach was employed. Convenience sampling was used, and 14 students participated. Qualitative content analysis was employed. Results: Five themes emerged: lack of preparation for higher education, multiple language barriers, differences in education and culture, lack of support and resources, and lack of information and understanding. Discussion: South Korean government needs to provide North Korean defector students with more practical supportive programs. South Korean nursing schools need to provide more transcultural education for South Korean students and supportive adaptation programs for North Korean defector students to produce culturally competent nurses who provide culturally congruent health care.
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