DiversityNursing Blog

To receive Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is something most hospitals and healthcare systems strive to achieve. The Magnet Recognition Program states “To nurses, Magnet Recognition means education and development through every career stage, which leads to greater autonomy at the bedside. To patients, it means the very best care, delivered by nurses who are supported to be the very best that they can be.”

The ANCC offers the Pathway to Excellence Program. The Pathway designation recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate a commitment to establishing the foundation of a healthy workplace for staff.

Organizations can establish this foundation by using the ANCC Pathway to Excellence Framework which consists of six standards:

• Shared Decision-Making creates opportunities for direct care Nurses to network, collaborate, share ideas, and be involved in decision-making.
• Leadership supports a shared governance environment by ensuring that leaders are accessible and that they facilitate collaborative decision-making. This standard also emphasizes leadership development, orientation, retention, accountability, and succession planning.
• Safety prioritizes both patient and Nurse safety, and fosters a respectful workplace culture free of incivility, bullying, and violence.
• Quality is central to an organization's mission, vision, goals, and values, and is based on person- and family-centered care, evidence-based care, continuous improvement, and improving population health.
• Well-Being promotes a workplace culture of recognition for the contribution of nurses and the healthcare provider team. Additionally, this standard provides staff with support and resources to promote their physical and mental health.
• Professional Development ensures that Nurses are competent to provide care and provides them with mentoring, support, and opportunities for lifelong learning.

The number of health care organizations to hold both the Pathway and Magnet^® designations simultaneously is growing! To learn more about this program, click here.

To see which organizations have achieved the Pathway to Excellence designation, click this link.

Health care organizations rely on Nurse leaders to manage teams, patient care, and promote organizational goals. In order to meet these goals, a successful Nurse leader must possess certain qualities such as...

Good communication. In healthcare, effective communication can literally be the difference between life and death. 

Nurse leaders should make themselves accessible and establish an environment that promotes an open-door policy so Nurses feel comfortable discussing issues or concerns. Team meetings is another great way to keep regular communication throughout shifts. 

Accountability. Nurse leaders are responsible for creating and maintaining a culture of accountability.

According to Duquesne University, some of the steps to creating a culture of accountability include:

• Building trust: The foundation for successful workplace accountability is trust. Employees who trust each other are more willing to accept and act on constructive criticism rather than assuming it is ill-willed.
• Developing strong communication skills: Individuals who use an assertive communication style can express information in an honest, open, and direct manner. The assertive communication style is not aggressive in tone, but instead is respectful and avoids blame and criticism.
• Developing clear expectations: The American Nurses Association (ANA) outlines the expectations and responsibilities for all Nurses including the overall responsibility for their patients and practice. Nurse leaders should continually remind Nurses of the expectations of practice.
• Modeling accountability: A workplace that has leaders who accept responsibility and hold themselves and others accountable creates a culture of accountability. Nurses who are leading teams of Nurses must be open to feedback and criticism. 

Emotionally Supportive. Without empathy, you can't build a team or nurture a future generation of leaders. 

Empathy in healthcare means more than just being a sounding board. It requires conscious effort to take a step back and respect a coworker's feelings, needs, and concerns. This process requires a skill set that can be developed with time, practice, and instruction. When healthcare workers can discuss and cope with their emotions, they can better care for their patients and avoid or manage stress that leads to burnout.

Goal Getter. A great Nurse leader is always striving for excellence, and that requires evaluating how the organization is doing, identifying priorities for improvement, setting measurable goals, leading teams to achieve them, and then celebrating those achievements.

Adaptable. The role of a Nurse will always be evolving and changing. Nurse leaders must possess the ability to be flexible and adapt to new environments, technologies, policies, and as we've seen over the last year with COVID-19, global health issues.

These qualities are important throughout the entire Nursing industry, regardless of where you are in your career. Even if you aren't a manager, you can use these leadership skills to motivate your team to be more efficient and productive.

The culture of a work place can be described as the vibe of the environment, the day to day experience of staff and patients, and the way practices are implemented and followed. 

According to Beckers Hospital Review, culture can have a direct impact on patient care and patient satisfaction. Hospitals with adaptable culture outperform those without it, as much as 200%. 

To improve your culture, here are some things to consider.

Communication is key. If you’re implementing changes, communicate them to every staff member so they know there are going to be changes. If they have concerns, they should feel comfortable to voice their opinions.

Establish where the organization is now. Determine what problems you want to fix and what areas need improvement. Set clear goals and benchmarks to measure your success along the way.

As you achieve your goals, no matter how small, celebrate them! People want to know they’re doing a great job. It boosts morale and radiates throughout the entire organization.  

Accountability - establish a process for accountability at all levels of the organization in case goals aren't being met. Often, initiatives fail because no one takes the hard job of holding others accountable. Old habits are easy to slip back in to if there is no accountability.

Mission Statement - every hospital should have a clear mission statement. It should define the overall culture and values of the company. It sets the tone of your organization. Hospitals can use these core values as guidelines for employees. 

Never stop improving. As your culture evolves, continue to listen to your employee's concerns and ideas. Listen to their feedback. Acknowledge, assess, and act on it. It’s important your employees know their voices are being heard. This can also help with employee retention too.

Great changes can take a long time. Be prepared for obstacles and setbacks. Keep visiting your goals and believe in your mission statement.

Many people interested in a career in healthcare originally think they’ll go to medical school and become a Doctor, but ultimately end up becoming a Nurse. Choosing between Nursing and Medical school depends on each person's career goals and what kind of studies they'd be most interested in.

It's important to explore both options because while they can be similar in some aspects, they are very different in others.

Length of Training

The length of training is a major difference. Nursing programs range from 2 years for an Associate's degree, to 4 years for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, to 6 years for a Master's. Medical school requires a minimum of 8 years of education plus residency.

Time Spent With Patients

Witnessing a loved one be taken care of by a medical professional is one reason many people choose to start a career in healthcare. If building a strong relationship with patients is meaningful to you, a career in Nursing is probably a better choice.

Often Doctors are in and out of the patient's room while the Nurse spends their entire shift taking care of a handful of patients. 

Like many of our Annual DiversityNursing.com $5,000 Education Award Winners, Shelah Roanhorse, our 2021 Winner, initially wanted to be a Doctor, but after her brother Nate became sick with cancer, she witnessed the dedication and care the Nurses gave him. She saw how involved his Nurses were with his day-to-day care. This greatly influenced her decision to become a Nurse.

Career Opportunities

There is a high demand for healthcare professionals.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a shortage of between 54,100 - 139,000 Physicians by the year 2033.

And, According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of Registered Nurses is projected to grow 7% from 2019 - 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.

Doctors may be limited by their specialty area. A Nurse could be limited too depending on the specialty, but Nurses can work both in and out of the hospital in a variety of settings including...

• Educators at Schools of Nursing
• School Nurses
• Insurance companies as health coaches, case managers and Nurse navigators
• On-staff Nurses at non-healthcare companies
• Law firms as medical forensics investigators

Leadership Roles

There is a misconception that leadership opportunities are limited in Nursing.  

Many Nurses lead initiatives to improve quality of care and patient safety. Some Nurses join their healthcare organization's C-suite and become Chief Nursing Officers or Chief Diversity Officers.  

With ongoing healthcare reform and new models of care delivery across the U.S., the role of Nurses is likely to further expand and allow them to take on new and dynamic roles in healthcare.

Whether you choose to become a Nurse or a Doctor, both careers are extraordinarily rewarding. Try to learn as much as you can about both avenues of healthcare before making your big decision.

LGBTQ+ Pride month is celebrated every June in honor of the 1969 Stonewall riots, and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Americans.

Pride month celebrations include parades, parties, concerts, educational events and speeches. Memorials are also held to honor members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS.

Hospitals around the nation are taking this opportunity to show their support. 

The Downtown Somerville Alliance joined with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital/Somerset and the Babs Siperstein Proud Center unveiled a 75-foot mural to celebrate influential figures in the LGBTQ+ community. 

The installation features icons like Harvey Bernard Milk, state icons like Christian Fuscarino of Garden State Equality, local icons like LGBTQ+ rights attorney Frank Morano of Bound Brook and many more.

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children's Hospital of New Jersey, held a flag raising ceremony. President and CEO Darrell Terry Sr. said, "This month we are proud to raise the LGBTQ+ flag and to raise awareness about the disparities that impact this community."

The following flags will be on display in one of the hospital's main corridors throughout the month of June: Transgender Pride Flag, Philadelphia People of Color Flag, Gender Fluid Pride Flag, Intersex Pride Flag, Coexist Flag, Progress Pride Flag, Ally Flag, Pansexual Pride Flag, Nonbinary Pride Flag, Equality Pride Flag, and the Bisexual Pride Flag.

The University of Kansas Medical Center is hosting a Biographical Posters event where you can learn about the background and careers of several LGBTQIA+ community members as well as their journey to KU Medical Center. Spotlights will be shared via social media and the diversity intranet site. Digital posters can be seen here.

Johns Hopkins Medicine is hosting discussion panels, workshops, film screenings and listening sessions covering important LGBTQ+ topics.

As well as hosting educational awareness programs, UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine are handing out “Ask me about my pronouns”, “LGTQ Ally” and other pins and badges with information on LGBTQ Health Disparities.

More than half of patients in the LGBTQ community report having faced discrimination in a healthcare setting. In order to improve LGBTQ+ care, hospitals must become allies for this community and combat any discrimination. 

1. Set your phone or digital watch to military time. In healthcare, the 24-hour clock is generally used in documentation of care as it prevents any ambiguity as to when events occurred in a patient's medical history.

2. Get to know your team. Don't hesitate breaking the ice, introduce yourself, others are probably wondering who this new person is! Once you get to know everyone, try keeping a close group of people you can rely on and talk to when need be. Every one needs a helping hand or shoulder to lean on time and again. 

3. Don't be afraid to ask questions, no matter how small. It's better to not know and ask, than act like you know and risk a patient's safety. Listen, watch and learn from seasoned Nurses. Learning is a never ending part of the job. 

4. Seek a mentor. This one-on-one experience provides a safe space for new Nurses to ask questions and learn the social and professional inner workings of their profession.

5. Self care is important. If you aren't caring for yourself, you won't be able to care for others.  Be mindful of how you feel and recognize when you need to give yourself some extra love and attention. Even small 15 minute breaks during shifts can make a world of difference. 

6. Never stop learning. Invest in continuing education, keep certifications up to date and seek knowledge in places outside the hospital setting. 

7. Buy good shoes! Nurses are on their feet constantly so invest in a pair that are comfortable and durable. Also try wearing compression socks.

8. You may not be able to do everything yourself, but together we can do anything. Offer help when you can and accept help when you need it. 

9. Carry many pens with you!

10. Remember why you started. It will help you get through tough times or when you're feeling down or burnt-out. Nursing is stressful, but also rewarding. 

Versailles, Ky. – The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded Frontier Nursing University (FNU) two grants totaling $4,140,000. The HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training grant totals $1,920,000 and the Nursing Workforce Diversity grant totals $2,220,000. HRSA, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will award the funding for both grants in annual installments over the next four years. 

“We are so thrilled and thankful to have been awarded these grants by the Health Resources and Services Administration,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “These funds will enable us to expand on the important work we are already doing to address two glaring needs in our nation’s healthcare system: a shortage of psychiatric-mental health nurse providers and a lack of diversity among healthcare providers. We have been dedicated and intentional in our efforts to prepare our students to fill these needs, and the HRSA grants are verification of our leadership in these areas of focus and of our potential to make substantially more progress in the years ahead.”

The Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) grant project will be led by Dr. Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC, Chair of FNU’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Department. The project period extends from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2025, with the award for the first year totaling $480,000. The goal of the project is to increase the number of psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners who are diverse in race, ethnicity, and other underrepresented populations serving in rural and medically underserved communities through collaboration with clinical Experiential Training Site partners. The grant project will support curriculum development related to child/adolescent care, interprofessional team-based trauma-informed care, and additional telehealth simulations. Importantly, this grant will provide $290,000 annually in scholarships for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students. 

The Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant will be led by FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDCES, FAANP. The project period extends from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2025, with the award for the first year totaling $555,000. The overarching goal of the NWD program is to increase the number and diversity of certified nurse-midwives across the United States who serve in rural and underserved areas in an effort to prevent and reduce maternal mortality. Central to this is the need to increase nurse-midwifery education and training opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and see them through to success. The grant provides $166,500 annually for scholarships for nurse-midwifery students of color. 

FNU’s objectives of the project are to increase its percentage of students of color (SOC) enrolled in the certified nurse-midwifery program to 30% by 2025, to retain at least 85% of nurse-midwifery SOC, and to graduate a total of  75 nurse-midwifery SOC every year during the grant period (2021-2025). Additionally, FNU aims to increase the percentage of its faculty of color to 20% by 2025 and to retain at least 85% of faculty of color during the grant period. 

“Research has shown that healthcare outcomes improve when culturally concordant care is provided,” Dr. Stone said. “These grant projects align with our own strategic plan goals to increase the diversity of our student body, our faculty, and our staff, with the understanding that doing so will improve the health care system in the U.S.”

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About Frontier Nursing University:

The mission of FNU is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse-Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or Post-Graduate Certificates. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.

Hospitals are seeing more cases of severe depression and suicidal thoughts among children, particularly attempts to overdose. 

The coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed the way children and teens learn, play and socialize. Many studies found forced isolation and loneliness among children correlated with an increased risk of depression.

Children’s Hospital Colorado, declared a "State of Emergency" in youth mental health. Jena Hausmann, CEO said, "It has been devastating to see suicide become the leading cause of death for Colorado’s children." 

According to the CDC, the proportion of children who arrived in emergency departments with mental health issues increased 24% from March through October 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Among preteens and adolescents, it rose by 31%. 

Matthew Davis, MD, MAPP, Chair of the Department of Medicine at Lurie Children’s, emphasized the need for accessible, affordable mental health care for pediatric patients has greatly increased because of the pandemic. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 parents said they were unable to access  mental or behavioral health care for their child at some point, most often because they could not find a specialty provider, they could not afford it, or they could not get an appointment in a timely fashion.

Some hospitals like Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio report running at full capacity and having more children “boarding,” or sleeping in EDs before being admitted to the psychiatric unit. 

Terrie Andrews, a Psychologist and Administrator of behavioral health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Florida said, "Up to 25 children have been held on surgical floors while waiting for a spot to open in the inpatient psychiatric unit. Their wait could last as long as five days."

Hospitals are not only seeing a higher volume of patients, but these patients have more intense illnesses.

Dr. Jennifer Downs, a pediatric psychiatrist at Connecticut Children’s said, “Instead of seeing kids who are saying, ‘I’m thinking about suicide,’ we’re seeing kids who have had attempts. Instead of seeing kids who are maybe brought in because of parents who feel that they’re verbally out of control, yelling, screaming, saying awful things, we’re seeing kids who are having physical aggression.”

According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, if you notice any of the following symptoms in your children, be sure to contact your child’s Physician as soon as possible:

– unusual changes in mood, such as ongoing irritability, feelings of hopelessness or rage, and frequent conflicts with friends and family
– changes in behavior, such as stepping back from personal relationships
– a loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
– a hard time falling or staying asleep, or starting to sleep all the time
– changes in appetite, weight, or eating patterns
– problems with memory, thinking, or concentration
– less interest in schoolwork and drop in academic effort
– changes in appearance, such as lack of basic personal hygiene
– an increase in risky or reckless behaviors, such as using drugs or alcohol

If you have contemplated suicide or someone you know has talked about it, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or use the online Lifeline Chat, both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The tragic events of the past year has brought an increased awareness to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). As a result, healthcare organizations are hiring Chief Diversity Officers (CDO’s), implementing initiatives, providing educational programs, and using new recruitment strategies to increase diversity in medicine.

Increasing diversity in healthcare organizations benefits both the healthcare provider and the patient populations they serve.

To increase diversity and lower racial healthcare disparities, many hospitals and health systems are looking to their CDO for guidance moving forward.

Last year, CDO hires grew by 84%, making it the fastest growing C-suite title, according to LinkedIn.

Some health systems are going beyond hiring a CDO and are creating entire teams or councils to implement and foster best practices. 

Northwell Health formed the Emerging Leaders Diversity & Inclusion Council which is responsible for analyzing current conditions within the health system while seeking to implement best practices in 3 key areas:

• Onboarding
• Mentoring
• Succession Planning

Englewood Health assembled a Diversity and Inclusion Education Council consisting of 12 team members across all departments and leadership levels.  

Warren Geller, President and CEO of Englewood Health said, “Our country’s history of racism and current inequalities have impacted every aspect of life and, most importantly, our health and well-being. With the establishment of a Diversity and Inclusion Education Council we are committing to doing more and doing better for the communities we serve.”

More hospitals are providing educational resources and training programs for their staff members.

At Ochsner Health in Louisiana, they’ve rolled out training to address implicit bias across the organization. Melissa Love, VP of Professional Staff Services and The Office of Professional Well-Being said, “People are really curious. I’m seeing people be very surprised by their lack of knowledge, even those that think they’re very knowledgeable.” 

Hospitals are also participating in evaluation programs to help improve their DEI efforts. 

The HRC Foundation's Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) evaluates healthcare facilities nationwide based on non-discrimination & staff training, LGBTQ patient services & support, employee benefits & policies, and LGBTQ patient & community engagement. 

Last year, a record 765 healthcare facilities participated in the HEI survey. These organizations recognize the importance of implementing LGBTQ-inclusive practices alongside their foundational non-discrimination policies.

When it comes to diversifying the hiring process, Daniel Benavides, Manager of Talent Acquisition at CHG Healthcare, suggests hospitals increase the number of people who select candidates. 

Benavides noticed only one or two people were filtering candidates for interviews. He determined that having a larger mix of individuals looking at applications would result in a greater diversity — and higher quality — of selected candidates.

It’s critical healthcare organizations improve diversity within their staff to reduce healthcare disparities. They must ensure ALL people are equally represented. 

Versailles, Ky. – Frontier Nursing University has endowed a new scholarship to support African American, Black, Native American, and Alaskan Native students. The scholarship, which will support 10 students per year, was established and approved by FNU’s Board of Directors during their quarterly meeting in April 2021.

The scholarship is in keeping with the University’s mission, which is “to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations.” The University’s focus on diverse, rural, and underserved populations is in response to the persistent health care disparities in the United States. 

“While our other endowed scholarships are needed by and available to students of all backgrounds, this particular scholarship is in direct response to the health disparities for the designated groups,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “Data demonstrates that culturally concordant care improves health care outcomes, which is why we have made increasing the diversity of the health care workforce a strategic priority at FNU.” 

A November 2020 study published by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that, among women with a college education or higher, Black women have a pregnancy-related mortality rate that is over five times higher than that of White women. The pregnancy-related mortality rate for Black women with a completed college education or higher is 1.6 times higher than the rate for White women with less than a high school diploma. 

Disparities are also prevalent elsewhere. A 2019 report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that non-Hispanic Black persons were more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic or Pacific Islander persons to die of heart disease in 2017. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that, in 2018,  American Indians and Alaska Natives were 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease than their white counterparts. The CDC also shared a report that found that 34% of COVID-19 deaths were among non-Hispanic Black people, though this group accounts for only 12% of the total U.S. population. 

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been a top priority at FNU for more than a decade,” FNU Board Chair Dr. Michael Carter said. “Not only do we know that these DEI initiatives are the right thing to do ethically, but the data clearly indicates that a well-prepared, diverse health care workforce is vital to improve medical outcomes for all people. The decision to endow this scholarship was data-driven and in direct alignment with the mission of the University.”

To establish this scholarship, FNU will designate $2.5 million to provide $100,000 in scholarships per year. This will be used to deliver ten $10,000 scholarships annually. Additionally, the fund will grow over time from investment and ongoing fundraising targeted for scholarships.

The new scholarship joins a comprehensive list of financial support for FNU’s students. Through the generosity of its supporters and donors, FNU will provide nearly $500,000  in endowed scholarships to students in 2021. 

“These scholarships are particularly important because, on average, despite our comparatively low tuition rates, many of our students graduate with nearly $60,000 in student loan debt,” Dr. Stone said. “Through awareness, fundraising efforts, and scholarships, we are committed to helping alleviate that burden. We want our graduates to be able to fully focus on being essential healthcare providers in their communities. However, due to the startling health outcomes for these specific groups, we knew we needed to address the needs of these particular students.” 

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About Frontier Nursing University:

The mission of FNU is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse-Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), or Post-Graduate Certificates. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.