The Significance of Representation in Nursing and Healthcare
The importance of representation and diversity in nursing and healthcare is straightforward: it leads to better healthcare outcomes. This article delves into why representation matters in these fields, the barriers that hinder it, and the ongoing efforts to enhance diversity. The impact of representation and diversity in nursing on healthcare is undeniable.
A review conducted by the National Medical Association, which examined 16 research studies on diversity in healthcare, found that patients experience improved outcomes when their care is delivered by a diverse healthcare team.
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However, despite this evidence, there is still a notable lack of representation in nursing. For instance, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that non-Hispanic Black nurses constitute only 7.8% of the nursing workforce, despite Black or African American individuals making up 13.4% of the U.S. population.
The review also highlighted that diverse teams enhance:
– Creativity
– Employee retention and satisfaction
– Financial outcomes
– Communication
– Innovation
– Quality
Representation and diversity encompass more than just gender, race, and ethnicity. The need for representation extends to nurses who identify as LGBTQ+, have disabilities, or follow different religions. These factors contribute to the creation of a nursing workforce that is more diverse and inclusive.
Whether you are considering a nursing career or are already a nurse, rest assured that the pursuit of greater representation and diversity in healthcare is a top priority. This article explores the significance of representation and diversity, the challenges that hinder diversity in nursing, and the initiatives aimed at improving the situation.
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The Importance of Representation in Nursing and Healthcare
Diversity, as defined by the National League for Nursing, involves recognizing and embracing differences among individuals in terms of their ideas, values, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Numerous studies confirm that representation among nurses, healthcare providers, and teams leads to better patient outcomes and addresses health disparities, such as infant mortality rates. This representation also helps break down cultural barriers.
An illustrative example is the Oakland Men’s Health Disparities Project, which underscores the critical role of representation in healthcare, particularly among African American men. African American men face the lowest life expectancy compared to other groups. This project, with a sample size of just over 1,000 participants, demonstrated that African American men were more likely to receive recommended preventative care services when provided by Black doctors.
Karen Innocent, DNP, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC, CMSRN, emphasizes the need for proportional representation of healthcare workers to the communities they serve. She states, “There is overwhelming evidence that healthcare workers should be hired in proportion to the diversity of the communities that they serve.”
Diversity and representation have a profound impact on nursing student recruitment as well. Addressing unconscious bias and structural racism is critical to eliminating healthcare disparities. Increasing diversity among nurses and physicians is a means of reducing health disparities, as patients tend to experience better outcomes when cared for by healthcare professionals of the same race.
Edna Aurelus, DNP, FNP-BC, underscores the significance of representation, stating that it is essential to approach someone who can empathize with and understand a person’s situation and viewpoint.
The American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN) acknowledges the shortage of a culturally diverse nurse workforce. They stress the importance of actively recruiting men and students from backgrounds including African American, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, and Alaskan native, to build a skilled and trustworthy healthcare team.
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Promoting the importance of diversity in nursing and healthcare is a central focus for key stakeholders. Hospitals, healthcare organizations, nursing schools, and others are devising strategies to enhance diversity and recruit nurses for better representation.
Barriers to Representation in Nursing
Unfortunately, several barriers hinder efforts to enhance diversity in nursing. One primary obstacle is the nursing shortage, partly attributed to a shortage of nursing school faculty. According to the AACN, nursing schools turned away 80,407 qualified nursing candidates in 2019. Some argue that increasing wages for nursing faculty could attract more nurses to pursue these roles.
Other barriers include:
– Unequal access to education
– Financial challenges
– Socioeconomic disparities
– Inadequate recruitment and representation
Aurelus acknowledges the existence of implicit bias as a significant challenge faced by underrepresented groups. Implicit bias involves unknowingly acting on stereotypes or prejudices.
Initiatives to Improve Representation in Nursing
COVID-19 highlighted healthcare disparities among people of color, prompting professional nursing organizations, the federal Bureau of Health Workforce, hospital associations, nurse entrepreneurs, philanthropic organizations, and other stakeholders to work toward improving diversity and representation in healthcare. Several ongoing efforts demonstrate progress:
– LaDonia Patterson, Ed.D., RN, and Gaea Daniel, Ph.D., RN, launched the High School to Higher Education Pilot Pipeline Program. This initiative targets Black male high school and college students in the metro Atlanta area, providing mentorship and resources to help them succeed as nurses.
– The AACN has introduced multiple initiatives, including the appointment of Vernell DeWitty, Ph.D., MBA, RN, as chief diversity officer. DeWitty co-authored a research paper on recruiting underrepresented students for nursing schools, offering strategies to enhance representation.
– The AACN’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group focuses on increasing diversity in nursing education. The group offers expert guidance to AACN and school members on achieving diversity goals.
– Hospitals and nursing schools are establishing positions like chief diversity officer and forming diversity and inclusion committees.
– Emphasizing cultural competence in healthcare is a priority. Training and resources on LGBTQ+ issues are incorporated into nursing and medical school curricula to prepare students for diverse community care.
– Aurelus advocates for recruiting and promoting diversity by encouraging underrepresented groups to pursue higher education positions and graduate studies.
Conclusion
Innocent stresses that achieving diversity requires addressing root causes such as hiring practices and admission barriers. Focusing on these systemic issues allows for targeted improvements through specific goals and strategies.
In a nation where healthcare spending reaches $3.8 trillion, or 17.7% of the GDP, addressing healthcare disparities becomes crucial. Advocating for diversity in nursing and healthcare is more essential than ever.
With persistent efforts to enhance representation across all facets of healthcare, particularly within the nursing workforce, diverse healthcare teams can contribute to improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Additionally, this approach can help alleviate health disparities and the financial and socioeconomic burdens disproportionately affecting minority communities. Collaborative efforts are necessary to foster a healthier, more inclusive, and culturally competent America.
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