Despite the clear benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in healthcare, recent political opposition has posed significant challenges. The term “DEI” has come under scrutiny, with some political leaders arguing against these initiatives, often framing them as unnecessary or divisive. This pushback has resulted in reduced funding for DEI programs and even bans on diversity training in some institutions.

These setbacks should not deter healthcare professionals from continuing to advocate for inclusivity. Nurses, as frontline caregivers, have a unique opportunity to lead the charge in pushing for policies and practices that promote equitable care. Whether through mentorship programs, policy advocacy, or cultural competency training, Nurses play a pivotal role in ensuring DEI efforts remain strong and impactful.

People desire healthcare that is based on compassion and respect. Research shows greater diversity among Doctors improves health outcomes for people of color, disabled people, women, LGBTQIA+ patients, and others whose identities have long been underrepresented in the healthcare field.

Additionally, initiatives focused on minimizing racial disparities in healthcare, like those in maternal health and cancer care, result in improved outcomes for all patients. The proof is undeniable, a diverse healthcare workforce and inclusive policies benefit everyone. 

The Future of DEI in Nursing

While the fight for DEI in healthcare faces obstacles, the commitment of Nurses to providing compassionate, equitable care remains unwavering. The Nursing profession is built on principles of advocacy, and now more than ever, Nurses must stand firm in their efforts to create a healthcare system that serves all patients with fairness and dignity.

By continuing to push for DEI initiatives, Nurses not only uphold ethical care standards but also contribute to a healthier, more inclusive society. The journey toward true equity in healthcare is ongoing, and Nurses are at the forefront of making it a reality.

How Nurses Can Advocate for DEI

Nurses can take several actionable steps to advance DEI within their workplaces and beyond:

Educate Yourself and Others – Stay informed about healthcare disparities and the importance of cultural competency. Share knowledge with colleagues and encourage open discussions about inclusivity.

Advocate for Policy Change – Support legislation and hospital policies that promote equity in healthcare access and delivery.

Engage in Mentorship and Representation – Uplift underrepresented voices by mentoring Nursing students and new Nurses from diverse backgrounds.

Foster Inclusive Work Environments – Encourage a culture of respect and understanding in your workplace, ensuring all team members feel valued and heard.

Speak Up for Patients – Recognize and address implicit biases in patient care, guaranteeing every individual receives the high-quality treatment they deserve.

Now is the time to take action because when diversity, equity, and inclusion thrive, so does healthcare.

“A workplace that prioritizes diversity isn’t just thinking about how to include Black and Brown people — it’s also thinking about how to ensure employees with disabilities have equal access to opportunities, how to support working parents, how to create space for LGBTQ+ employees to be themselves, and how to address ageism in hiring and promotions,” said Parker McMullen Bushman, CEO and founder of Ecoinclusive Strategies. “When we embrace diversity, we’re not excluding anyone — we’re actually expanding the table so more people can bring their unique talents and perspectives.”

April is Diversity Month and serves as a vital opportunity to amplify awareness surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, offering a space for meaningful conversations and mutual understanding among Diverse groups.

Promoting Unity and Belonging can also help boost recruitment and retention. In fact, a Glassdoor survey found that 76% of employees and job seekers report that a Diverse workforce is an important factor when evaluating job offers. 

Here are some suggestions on how to celebrate Diversity Month:

Cultural Exchange Discussions 

Host cultural exchange events that allow individuals from diverse backgrounds to come together and share the richness of their cultures through engaging conversations and storytelling. Facilitate discussions centered around Diversity and Inclusion in various settings such as your workplace, school, or community, fostering open dialogue and the sharing of personal experiences.

Educate Yourself

Immerse yourself in the beauty of diverse cultures by delving into various traditions, languages, religions, and customs. Expand your knowledge through reading, language learning, documentary viewing, or attending cultural gatherings to truly embrace the essence of Diversity.

Explore Arts and Media

Experience the magic of cultural performances, art exhibits, or film screenings that highlight the creativity and impact of a diverse array of artists and filmmakers.

Indulge in Food

Organize potluck gatherings where individuals can showcase dishes from their diverse cultural backgrounds, encouraging a shared experience of trying new cuisines and exploring different flavors together. You can also venture out to restaurants to sample and enjoy a variety of international foods.

Support Businesses 

Supporting businesses owned by individuals from diverse backgrounds is crucial for promoting economic equality and fostering an inclusive society. Show support for businesses by shopping at their stores, eating at their restaurants, or using their services.

Volunteer 

By actively volunteering or donating to cultural nonprofits, organizations can preserve and honor diverse cultural heritages, ensuring they are cherished and valued for generations to come.

Promote Inclusivity

Advocate Inclusivity in your workplace, school, or community by backing policies and initiatives that promote Diversity and Equality.

Create a Diversity Calendar

Develop a Diversity calendar highlighting important cultural events, holidays, and observances throughout the year. Use it to plan activities and celebrations. Download our 2024 Cultural Dates Calendar, here! 

Remember, celebrating Diversity is not just a one-time event but a continuous effort to promote Inclusivity, understanding, and respect for all individuals, regardless of their background.

Versailles, Ky. – On June 8-9, 2023, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) will hold its annual Diversity Impact Conference. The Diversity Impact Conference brings together renowned thought leaders and speakers to increase awareness of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the healthcare workforce, particularly for those working in underserved and rural communities. This year, for the first time, the conference will be available for attendees outside of FNU.

“We are extremely excited about the 2023 Diversity Impact Conference,” said FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech, Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, APRN. “The Conference gets better each and every year, and we are putting the finishing touches on the plan for this year’s sessions. We are most excited, however, about being able to include more attendees this year. As we grow this important event, we want to invite leaders and students from some of our area universities to join us. This event is all about collaboration, learning, and growing. I’m confident that it will benefit any university, department, or individual.”

The 2023 Diversity Impact Conference will be conducted via Zoom. The theme of this year’s conference is “Better Together: Advancing a Culture of Identity and Belonging in Healthcare.” The two-day event will feature keynote presentations on both days from nationally recognized leaders in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additional sessions will include panel discussions, breakout sessions, and time for reflection.

The opening keynote address will be given by Dr. Tia Brown McNair, Vice President of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, D.C. On the second day of the conference, the keynote speaker will be Rebekka Eshler, National President of the Transgender American Veterans Association in Washington, D.C.  All speaker bios and the full conference schedule can be found at https://frontier.edu/diversity-impact/

The learning outcomes attendees can expect to take away from the Diversity Impact Conference include:

• Identify specific strategies to create a culture of belonging amongst peers and the larger community
• Discuss the causes behind healthcare disparities and their effect on creating a culture of belonging
• Reflect on ways to effectively engage in spaces to promote diversity in identity
• Practice ways to build collaborative communities

Students attending any institution can register for the conference for free. All others can register at the registration price of $99 until the day before the event. For more information about the 2023 Diversity Impact Conference and to register, please visit https://frontier.edu/diversity-impact/.

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About Frontier Nursing University:

The mission of Frontier Nursing University is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education that integrates the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We transform healthcare by preparing innovative, ethical, compassionate, and entrepreneurial leaders to work with all people with an emphasis on rural and underserved communities. 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. In 2021 and 2022, Frontier was named a “Great College to Work For” by the Great Colleges to Work For® program. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is beneficial for employers, staff, and patients. More hospitals and health systems are recognizing the importance and are rolling out new DEI programs. 

Diversity is the range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs.

Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.

Inclusion is an organizational effort and practice in which different groups or individuals having different backgrounds are culturally and socially accepted and welcomed.

The United States will continue to grow more diverse, so it is imperative the Nursing workforce reflects its patient demographic. 

Historically underrepresented groups, combined, are projected to account for the majority of the U.S. population by 2044.

The Nurse.com 2022 Nurse Salary Research Report findings display a lack of Diversity in the nation's Nursing workforce. 

The report found that although Hispanics make up 17% of the total population, only 3.5% out of the more than three million Registered Nurses in the U.S. are Hispanic.

Also only 2% of the survey’s respondents were Black or African American men, whereas Black or African American women made up 8% of female Nurses. By contrast, Asian men made up 10% of male Nurses, and Asian women made up only 5% of female Nurses.

Having a diverse Nurse population improves patient care and satisfaction while also reducing healthcare disparities. 

Research shows, when patients see themselves within the healthcare workforce, they are more likely to trust their provider, thus making the patient feel more comfortable. 

This also breaks down communication barriers. When patients can't easily communicate their needs or fully express their concerns and issues, dire mistakes can be made.

When a Nurse has a lot in common with their patients, they can better advocate for them. 

“Diversity in Nursing ultimately enhances the Nursing workforce,” says Lorrie Davis-Dick, Nursing faculty member at Purdue University Global. “Nursing education and Nurse leaders recognize there's a link between a culturally diverse workforce and the ability to provide quality, competent patient care."

DEI is beneficial for patients, but also for healthcare professionals. 

According to Built In, Diversity creates a stronger feeling of Inclusion and community for healthcare workers, which makes the workplace feel safer and more enjoyable. Surveys show that more than 3 out of 4 workers prefer diverse companies.

While Diversity is important, Diversity without Equity and Inclusion won't work. Healthcare teams must represent all backgrounds, while also giving each member a voice and the opportunities to grow.  

Increasing Diversity in Healthcare is vital. It won't happen overnight, but it's crucial to create an environment where everyone is celebrated and appreciated. It requires dedicated leadership and staff who are looking to better the Nursing field.

Creating a workplace with a strong Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive culture is not only the right thing, it’s also crucial for your retention and improving patient care.

A study from Press Ganey shows health systems with strong Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) values have less risk of staff potentially leaving the organization.

The study also found:

• Healthcare organizations had twice as many employees at risk of leaving if the workforce perceived diversity and equity weren’t prioritized versus work forces that do.  
  
  
• The risk of leaving within 3 years is more than 4 times higher for healthcare workers who believe their organization doesn’t value employees from different backgrounds versus workers who do.  
  
  
• If offered another job, healthcare workers are 4 ½ times more likely to leave an organization if they believe different backgrounds aren’t valued, or if the organization isn’t committed to workforce diversity, versus workers who do.   
  
  
• Perceptions of diversity & equity are a bigger indicator of intent to stay with an organization among security personnel, nurses and physicians than other ancillary staff. 

Having a strong DEI culture allows employees to be comfortable and confident in who they are. This allows them to focus on providing the best patient care possible.

Research shows, 77% of employees and 80% of leaders who are disabled chose not to share their disability in their workplace. For LGBTQ workers, 46% are closeted at their place of work. And across all diverse characteristics, 75% of employees feel the need to mask their differences or downplay them during work.

Employees masking or hiding aspects of themselves during shifts affects their confidence, motivation, feelings of safety and hinders their job performance.

It’s important for healthcare workers to have mentors they can look up to throughout their careers. A lack of diversity can make it difficult for minority healthcare workers to find role models they identify with. This can impact their professional growth and their ability to provide optimal patient care.

A strong DEI culture isn’t something that can be achieved overnight. It requires a leadership who is dedicated to promoting cultural awareness and inclusion. It requires staff who are willing to take the time to learn about and understand each other. It also means being willing to identify and address biases.

Hyden, Ky - Frontier Nursing University (FNU) hosted its 9th annual Diversity Impact Student Conference in Hyden, Ky., June 6-9, 2019. The annual Diversity Impact Student Conference was hosted by the FNU Diversity Impact Program and had more than 60 students, alumni, faculty and staff in attendance.

The theme of the 2019 event was "Every Voice, Every Story: 80 Years and Beyond" which is in line with the celebration of the 80 years of service that FNU graduates have provided to mothers, babies, and families across the globe.

FNU's Diversity Impact 2019 conference opened the door for nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioners students to foster collaborative discussions, address health disparities, and find proactive solutions to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups. Students engaged in team-building activities, cross-cultural and intercultural workshops, and they learned about nurse-leadership strategies on how to effectively care for diverse populations within their communities.

This year’s Diversity Impact Event includes an inspiring lineup of internationally-known speakers including:

-FNU president Dr. Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM
-Keynote Speaker Nicolle L. Gonzales, BSN, RN, MSN, CNM
-Premier Speaker Dr. Heather Shlosser, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
-Nena R. Harris, Ph.D., FNP-BC, CNM, CNE
-Jane F Houston FACNM, DNP, CNM
-Kalena Lanuza, DNP, FNP-C
-Dr. Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, CEO of American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)
-Devon Peterika, MS, BA
-Ralph Newell and Sydnee Reese, Diversity in Higher Education Workshop

Learn more about FNU's Diversity Impact Program here.

View Photos from FNU's 2019 Diversity Impact Student Conference

With maternal mortality and morbidity rates that are worse than any other developing country in the world, America’s need for more diverse and culturally-conscious health care providers is urgent.

Many nursing institutions preach “diversity,” but schools like Frontier Nursing University (FNU) are achieving it through programming, initiatives and partnerships with like-minded organizations.

Each year, FNU hosts its Diversity Impact Student Conference. In its eighth year, the conference is hosted by students and faculty leaders in FNU’s PRIDE Program, which was established to promote recruitment and retention to increase diversity in Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner education.

FNU has put the “impact” in Diversity Impact, especially in this year’s event. With a theme entitled “We Are One: Uniting Dreamers with Diverse Voices,” presenters at this year’s four-day conference spoke on mental health and cultural care, transcultural nursing and the current state of mortality rates in the African American community.

Each student who attended was given opportunity to not only listen to an impactful keynote, but also to participate in a culturally eye-opening field trip, cross-cultural communication exercise, and collaborative discussions to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups.

These powerful conversations ranged in topic from environmentally-sustainable healthcare to mental health in patient and police interactions, to vulnerable populations and sexual IQ risk reduction. Each year at Diversity Impact, attendees walk away with proactive solutions to create meaningful connections and provide better care within diverse communities.

In addition to its annual event, FNU partnered with the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) in a brand new initiative this year to produce a video about the need for a diverse nurse-midwifery workforce to improve health outcomes across the United States.

This five-minute video, filmed as part of AWHONN’s “Partners in Care" program, highlights how Frontier Nursing University students are providing significant contributions to address health disparities for women who are facing language, racial, geographical and other socioeconomic barriers. 

“The fact that African American women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die in and around childbirth than their white counterparts - that struck a chord with me,” said Ameenah Jackson, FNU nurse-midwifery student, in the video.

Jackson, along with hundreds of other FNU students, is the future of quality care for women who, before now, have not felt heard or valued by a health care provider.

A portion of the video is an interview with a new member of FNU’s Executive Leadership Team. Dr. Maria Valentin-Welch, DNP, MPH, CDP, CNM, FACNM, was brought on board in September 2017 as the inaugural Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO).

Valentin-Welch’s position is designed to guide FNU on matters of equity, diversity and inclusion. Together with the president, dean, chief operations officer, chief advancement officer, and executive vice president for finance and facilities, the CDIO will lead the development of a vision and strategy that champions the importance of a diverse and inclusive environment that values and supports all members of the University community.

With over 30 years of teaching experience, Dr. Valentin-Welch is working from the classroom outward in strategizing diversity initiatives for FNU.

“The strategies that I feel will have the most positive impact on Frontier are building these excellent student services, as well as diversity and inclusion training strategies and tactics to enhance our courses by threading diversity and inclusion issues along the way,” said Dr. Valentin-Welch. “We want to thread the subject matter even further throughout the curriculum. We will be stronger individually and as a whole because of the introductions of these plans.”

The AWHONN reporter concludes: “FNU is at the forefront of tackling the difficult and delicate issues related to equity of care through head-on conversations and diversity events for students.”

One such conversation was had in June 2018 between FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, certified nurse-midwife, and President of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and Andrew Bennie, Product Director at Springer Publishing Group and guest host of the weekly “Nursecast” podcast series.

Dr. Stone and Bennie’s discussion tackled the question: “Why is Maternal Mortality Growing in the United States?” In the eighteen minute podcast, Dr. Stone pinpoints a lack of racially-concordant care as a culprit.

According to data, 700 women around the U.S. die of pregnancy complications per year, while 50,000 cases are near misses. Many of those cases are disproportionately correlated to race. 

Dr. Stone explains that patients are more receptive to care from a health provider who understands their culture and socioeconomic background. Currently, only 6% of midwives in the United States are women or men of color. FNU’s initiative is to diversify not only the field of midwifery, but the healthcare workforce as a whole.

“Today about 22% of FNU students are men and women of color – up from just 9% in 2010,” said Dr. Stone.

Each population in America’s melting pot, formed by race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, language, or a combination of other factors, will see better health outcomes with culturally-concordant healthcare providers and models. Institutions like Frontier Nursing University are equipping and encouraging their students to answer the call to make these underrepresented populations feel heard, valued and served.

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.

First article written by Frontier Nursing University
Second article Written by Marissa Silver

Frontier Nursing University believes in increasing awareness of the importance of cultural competency and decreasing health disparities. This article is about their 7th annual Diversity Impact Event. FNU states “Diversity Impact is designed to open the door for nurses to foster and strengthen collaborative discussions to address health disparities to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups.” Enjoy this informative article.

In a rapidly-changing, sometimes divided world, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) emphasizes the value of respecting and honoring diversity.

In the United States, there is a wide gap in health outcomes. Several populations face greater obstacles in obtaining good health based on their racial or ethnic group, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, age, mental health, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or geographic location. These disparities may exist because of social and economic inequality, inadequate health care providers or systems, and bias on the part of health care providers or patients.

The gap forming in the health of women before and during pregnancies is also a source of concern. Determinants of a mother’s health may include social factors, ethnic or racial group, or her previous health status. An infant child is also impacted by factors such as nutrition, family income, and the geographic location of their homes and neighborhoods.

Additionally, consider this: women living in rural areas have less access to health care than women living in urban areas. Where 22.8% of women live in what is defined as a “rural” area in the U.S.¹, there is a significant disparity between the health care they receive and the health care received by the “urban” population of women.

Although health care needs around the nation are diverse, health care providers do not reflect the population. In 2008, only 16.8% of Registered Nurses residing in the United States represented diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds². Additionally, underrepresented groups make up less than 10% of nursing school faculty³. The nursing profession faces the challenge of recruiting and retaining a culturally diverse workforce that mirrors the nation's demographics.

With these challenges in mind, it is important that our education system equips nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives and other healthcare professionals with the resources they need to eliminate these disparities, and ultimately achieve health equity.FNU would like to see the Frontier community impact health equity and move forward by uniting through diversity.

On June 1- 4, 2017, Frontier Nursing University held the 7th annual Diversity Impact Student Conference. Diversity Impact is designed to open the door for nurses to foster and strengthen collaborative discussions to address health disparities to improve minority health among underrepresented and marginalized groups. Students will engage in cross-cultural and intercultural workshop activities, along with leadership strategies on current diversity healthcare trends as it relates to patient-provider care.

This year’s Diversity Impact theme is Moving Forward: Uniting Through Diversity. Students will attend sessions hosted by nationally recognized nursing leaders; participate in teambuilding activities, cultural competency awareness training, and open dialogues; network with available FNU students, community leaders, faculty and staff; and learn more about the world with FNU’s International Food Menu.

Frontier Nursing University conference discusses healthcare diversity

Factors such as someone's age, race, gender and ethnicity can all play a role in their healthcare.

This weekend, Frontier Nursing University students attended a conference, to learn how those factors and other differences between populations may impact a patient's health and treatment. One factor, which may impact patients in Eastern Kentucky is living in rural communities.

"It's like a totally different population than what you see in urban areas," Vaishu Jawahar who attended the conference said. "Even though we think that sometimes urban populations have it bad, the sheer lack of resources that's out here makes being in a rural area that much harder."

Another topic discussed during the conference was caring for those in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

"As healthcare providers, no matter what your political views are you have to be able to take care of everyone or at least make them feel comfortable enough to seek out your care," said Jawahar.

As part of the discussion on serving the LGBT community, two Frontier Nursing University students talked about their experience treating patients during last year's mass shooting, at Pulse, a Gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Overall, those who attended the conference said taking the time to get to know the patient and their background can make a difference.

"It's so easy for us to get caught up in our way of life, we forget there's very different realities for everyone," Wilvena Bernard, Diversity Pride Program Coordinator, Frontier Nursing University said.

More than 50 students and faculty attended the conference from across the country.

Last month, University officials announced they are moving student activities from the Hyden campus to Versailles by Fall of 2018.

Interested in learning more about Frontier Nursing University? Check out their Employer Profile! Just Click Here.

Recent demographic shifts will have major implications for the U.S. healthcare system, both in terms of the delivery of patient care and the practice of nursing. According to experts at Kansas State University, improved public health and clinical care have led to an increase in the average life span, meaning that by the year 2020 more than 20 percent of the population will be age 65 or older. In fact, individuals over the age of 85 make up the fastest-growing group. This will lead to extended treatment of long-term chronic conditions, challenging the healthcare system’s ability to provide efficient care. 

In addition, the diversity of the general population is a relevant topic on the minds of many nurses. Because multiculturalism affects the nature of illness and disease as well as morbidity and mortality, nurses must learn to adapt their practice to various cultural values and beliefs. Relevant factors include national origin, religious affiliation, language, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, socioeconomic status and more. Understanding cultural diversity is becoming a daily responsibility for many nurses. 

Such changes in the population are significant for nurses. Nursing practice, education and perspectives must adapt and respond to changing demographics because nurses play an increasingly important role in healthcare delivery. 

Understanding the Aging Population 

As the baby boomer generation ages, the number of older adults in the United States is expected to increase exponentially. Combine this with a longer average life span, and the healthcare system needs to adapt — quickly. To meet the needs of a large aging population, nurses in particular must “identify strategies to allow older adults to live independently for as long as possible; provide health care and education for older adults who are self-managing multiple chronic illnesses; ensure that older adults in long-term care settings receive high-quality care,” says Patricia A. Grady, Ph.D., RN, of the National Institute of Nursing Research. 

The National Institute of Health estimates that about 80 percent of people over the age of 65 have at least one chronic illness, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis. In addition, the number of older adults with multiple chronic illnesses is substantial. Chronic illnesses are one of the most central issues facing nurses in terms of the aging population because they impact quality of life for patients and garner considerable expenses. Seventy-five percent of healthcare costs in the United States are the result of chronic illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Key considerations for elder care delivery include the following, according to Grady: 

* Identifying ways to improve healthcare and quality of life for older adults across care settings, from the nursing home to the community 

* Interpersonal interactions, either between older adults and family members or nursing staff, or among different levels of staff in a nursing home, which can influence older adults’ quality of life and health-related outcomes 

* Nurses as integral members and leaders of interdisciplinary healthcare teams to solve complex health problems and provide for older adults 

* Assessing multiple types of intervention, analytical parameters and environmental settings to fully understand the complexity of healthcare issues facing older adults and to produce the most positive health outcomes 

In general, nurses will be required to provide care for more adults (and older adults) than ever before — patients who have complex healthcare needs. However, nurses are also in an ideal position to communicate with older adults about self-care strategies to prevent further illness while maintaining their independence, functioning, and mental and physical health. Nurses of all specialties have traditionally been leaders in elder care and will continue to play a critical role in addressing the challenges of geriatric healthcare in coming years. 

Diversity and Multiculturalism 

Another critical element involved in patient demographic shifts is diversity. In today’s healthcare system, the relationship between culture and health is central to delivering quality patient care. “Of the many factors that are known to determine health beliefs and behaviors, culture is the most influential,” according to the article "Many Faces: Addressing Diversity in Health Care," published in the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. To meet the needs of culturally diverse patients, nurses and other healthcare providers must become both culturally competent and culturally aware. 

The National Student Nurses’ Association encourages nurses to provide customized, culturally specific care that fits with a patient’s values, beliefs, traditions, practices and lifestyle. The association promotes diversity awareness, which is defined as “an active, ongoing conscious process in which we recognize similarities and differences within and between various cultural groups.” Diversity awareness also involves cultural assessment and cultural sharing among healthcare professionals with the overall aim of understanding the complex definition of diversity, as based on the writings of Marianne R. Jeffreys, Ed.D., RN. According to Jeffreys, diversity can be based on: 

* Birthplace 

* Citizenship status 

* Reason for migration 

* Migration history 

* Religion 

* Ethnicity 

* Race 

* Language 

* Kinship and family networks 

* Educational background and opportunities 

* Employment skills and opportunities 

* Lifestyle 

* Gender 

* Socioeconomic status 

* Past discrimination and bias experiences 

* Health status and health risk 

* Age 

Though those are admittedly a lot of factors to keep in mind, ignoring diversity may lead to unequal nursing care and negative patient outcomes. Whether it is physical pain or emotional stress, patients could experience adverse physiological symptoms if their cultural needs are not taken into consideration. Under the Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services Model, nurses are encouraged to use the following mnemonic, ASKED, when caring for any cultural group. 

Have I ASKED Myself the Right Questions? 

* Awareness: Am I aware of my personal biases and prejudices toward cultural groups different from mine? 

* Skill: Do I have the skill to conduct a cultural assessment and perform a culturally based physical assessment in a sensitive manner? 

* Knowledge: Do I have knowledge of the patient’s worldview? 

* Encounters: How many face-to-face encounters have I had with patients from diverse cultural backgrounds? 

* Desire: What is my genuine desire to “want to be” culturally competent? 

Looking Ahead: Nursing Education at Campbellsville University 

Providing high-quality nursing care to an aging, diverse population is no small task, but it is one of the most important responsibilities of nurses today. In a constantly changing society, nurses will continue to practice using traditional methods such as preventive care and holistic wellness; however, they will also be called on to provide leadership in navigating shifts in patient demographics. A wide variety of skills are required to manage the complex needs of different patient populations. The future of the healthcare delivery system relies on the ability of nurses to refine their practice and expand their core knowledge to address the challenges associated with caring for older adults and diverse cultures. 

You can gain the advanced skills you need with the online RN to BSN degree from Campbellsville University. With an experienced faculty providing real-world knowledge and understanding of nursing, Campbellsville’s program is the ideal opportunity to advance your nursing career.

Is Diversity & Inclusion important in your workplace or health system? Use this Free Cultural Check list to find out.