DiversityNursing Blog

In the constantly changing landscape of healthcare, Nurses play a vital role as the cornerstone of healthcare systems. They offer essential care, support, and education to patients. It is crucial for the field of Nursing to embrace Diversity, as it not only promotes social justice but also significantly improves quality of care, fosters innovation, and mirrors the diverse communities Nurses serve.

Reflecting the Communities We Serve

One of the primary reasons Diversity is so important in Nursing is it allows the healthcare workforce to better reflect the communities they serve. Patients are more likely to feel comfortable and understood when they see healthcare providers who share their cultural, linguistic, or racial background. This comfort can lead to more effective communication, greater trust, and, ultimately, better health outcomes. When Nurses understand the cultural nuances and unique needs of different patient populations, they can provide more personalized and effective care.

Improving Patient Outcomes

Research has shown, Diversity among healthcare providers can lead to improved patient outcomes. Diverse Nursing teams bring a variety of perspectives and problem-solving skills, which can enhance clinical decision-making and lead to more comprehensive patient care. For instance, Nurses from diverse backgrounds may be more aware of specific health risks and conditions prevalent in certain communities, allowing for earlier detection and intervention. Additionally, patients are more likely to adhere to medical advice and treatment plans when they feel understood and respected by their healthcare providers.

Enhancing Cultural Competence

Cultural competence is essential for providers to deliver services effectively, meeting the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of patients. A diverse Nursing workforce is well-prepared to achieve cultural competence, drawing from a wide range of cultural perspectives and experiences. This competency is vital in reducing health disparities and ensuring equitable care for all patients. It encompasses not only language proficiency but also an understanding of cultural practices, beliefs, and values that influence health and healthcare behaviors.

Fostering Innovation and Creativity

Diversity brings a wealth of ideas and perspectives that can drive innovation and creativity in the practice. When Nurses from different backgrounds come together, they can challenge the status quo and develop new approaches to patient care, healthcare delivery, and Nursing education. This Diversity of thought is particularly important in addressing complex healthcare challenges, such as the social determinants of health, chronic disease management, and the integration of technology in patient care.

Addressing the Nursing Shortage

The Nursing profession is facing a significant shortage, with an aging population and an increasing demand for healthcare services. By promoting Diversity in Nursing, the field can tap into a broader pool of talent and attract individuals from underrepresented groups. This not only helps to fill the gap but also ensures a more robust and resilient healthcare workforce. Encouraging Diversity in Nursing education and recruitment can help create a pipeline of skilled Nurses ready to meet the demands of the future.

Building a More Inclusive Healthcare Environment

A diverse Nursing workforce contributes to a more inclusive and respectful healthcare environment. It sets a standard for inclusion and equity, encouraging other healthcare professionals to value and respect differences. This inclusive culture can improve job satisfaction and retention among Nurses, as they feel valued and supported in their workplace. It can also lead to better teamwork and collaboration, essential components of high-quality patient care.

Diversity in the Nursing field is not just an ideal; it is a necessity for delivering high-quality, equitable healthcare. It enhances patient outcomes, fosters cultural competence, drives innovation, and addresses workforce shortages. By embracing Diversity, the Nursing profession can better serve the needs of all patients, create a more inclusive healthcare environment, and build a stronger, more effective healthcare system. As we move forward, it is imperative Nursing leaders, educators, and policymakers continue to prioritize and promote Diversity in all aspects of the profession.

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.

Why Should Healthcare Be Committed to Diversity in their Workforce? 

Diversity within healthcare is essential in delivering competent and inclusive patient care. Individuals from all walks of life enter hospitals and clinics daily to seek medical care. To provide these individuals with the best medical care possible, we must be able to relate to them properly. The best way to ensure we can connect and communicate effectively with patients is to ensure that the healthcare staff is well diversified. 

What is Diversity in Healthcare? 

Diversity is reflected in healthcare by employing individuals from different backgrounds and walks of life. There are many ways healthcare staff can be diversified. A diversified workforce includes hiring persons of multiple races, ages, genders, ethnicities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, education levels, languages, and sexual orientations. Military service is also a unique quality that can often be overlooked to add to the diverse population of healthcare workers. 

Is Healthcare Committed to Diversity in their Workforce?

Although there is much evidence to support that diversity within the healthcare workforce is beneficial for employees and the community, there is still a gap in healthcare diversity. The majority of Physicians are white males. Nurses tend to be predominately female. 

Benefits of Diversity in Healthcare 

There are many benefits to having a diverse workforce for the healthcare staff and patients. Some of those benefits include:

• Individualized Patient Care for Diverse Populations: When you have a patient seeking care and there is diversity within your healthcare staff, there is always someone on the healthcare team who can communicate and identify with them to ensure their needs are met. 
• Increased Patient Trust: Patients seek medical care for a variety of reasons. Often, the reason for seeking care comes with a sense of anxiety. Studies have shown when patients can easily relate to their healthcare provider, there is better overall communication and better patient outcomes. It’s also been shown that when patients relate better to healthcare staff, they are more likely to continue with follow-up care and take part in preventative care measures.
• Improved Problem Solving: A wide range of perspectives from individuals of different backgrounds allows for better problem solving and creative solutions to problems. When creative minds come together from various perspectives, new ideas and innovations can be produced. 
• Better Employee Retention and Morale: Employing a diverse community of healthcare workers can improve employee morale and make the workplace more enjoyable. Working for a company that takes pride in people of diverse populations positively impacts the workplace and the community. 

Disadvantages of a Lack of Diversity

The disadvantages of a lack of diversity within healthcare can pose significant risks to healthcare delivery and result in poor patient outcomes. Some disadvantages include:

• Impaired Communication: Impaired communication occurs when there is a language barrier. Healthcare staff may not fully understand what a patient is trying to convey, and patients may be confused about the plan of care, leading to patient dissatisfaction and potential medical errors. 
• Limited Perspectives: When healthcare staff lacks diversity, implicit bias can affect how healthcare is delivered to those of different backgrounds. Implicit bias is when healthcare workers unintentionally judge patients based on their different beliefs, customs, or cultures. Although implicit bias is not intentional, it can cause significant harm. Having a diverse healthcare staff decreases implicit biases by allowing for different perspectives while implementing care.

How can we Promote Diversity in Healthcare? 

The only way to truly diversify healthcare professionals is to make medical education more attainable for people of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. People seeking healthcare education should have access to feasible and affordable education. 

Many students seeking medical education are not of the traditional college age. College students can range from working parents, people changing careers, or single parents seeking education on weekends or nights. Many people cannot dedicate days to a classroom setting. A great way to achieve a more diverse workforce is to improve upon and offer more online learning programs that are more accessible and affordable to various and diverse people. 

Conclusion 

The importance of diversity within the healthcare workforce is evident. When healthcare is more diversified, medicine itself becomes more culturally competent. All healthcare workplaces should strive to provide a diverse population of workers to improve overall patient outcomes and acquire better patient satisfaction.

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. 

The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace.

CEOs at top major companies from around the world are signing this action pledge to support more inclusive workplaces.

This pledge shows the commitment and actions leaders will take to provide resources and strategies for an inclusive environment.

Health systems joining the pledge are taking a step towards positive change. A diverse and inclusive workforce helps the community and inspires innovation and creativity.

According to the CEO Action website, By 2050 there will be no racial or ethnic majority in the US.

Click here to view the list of healthcare CEO's who have signed the pledge so far.

Warren Geller, President and CEO of Englewood Health pledged to provide equal access to vaccines, helping to mitigate risk factors for those most vulnerable to COVID-19; enhancing and expanding training programs for new and current employees, focused on diversity and inclusion; and to continue on the path to diminishing healthcare disparities with the support of the Diversity and Inclusion Education Council (DIEC).

Hackensack Meridian Health CEO, Robert C. Garrett signed the pledge and said, "New Jersey is one of the most diverse states in the nation and we are deeply committed to ensuring that there is equality and opportunity for all in our hospitals and care locations. The network also has a robust and comprehensive strategy to eliminate unacceptable outcomes based on race and ethnicity, a challenge for our entire nation.''

CEO Stephen J. Ubl of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) signed the pledge and included four goals that PhRMA is committed to working toward.

1. We will continue to make our workplace a trusting place to have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion. 
2. We will expand unconscious bias education.
3. We will share best—and unsuccessful—practices.
4. We will create and share strategic inclusion and diversity plans with our board of directors.

So far, nearly 2,000 CEOs and Presidents have made the pledge and it is encouraging to see this number grow. Click here to view the pledge.

Pat Magrath, National Sales Director, DiversityNursing.com pmagrath@diversitynursing.com

Our country and the world is experiencing a huge awakening and changing attitude toward bias and racism and it is about time! It shouldn’t have taken these recent tragic events to bring about this ground swell of emotion and passion for change, but here we are.

It is time to channel this passion to create positive and lasting new initiatives in our society. A big part of this change falls to employers to review what they say about their organization, how they hire new employees, and how they treat and communicate with their existing staff, patients and visitors. Now, more than ever, your recruitment communications need to reflect an honest and thoughtful narrative about your organizational commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Diversity Recruitment means reaching out to ALL diverse communities including people from various racial/ethnic backgrounds, ages, gender identities, religions, education levels, national origins, sexual orientations, veteran status, marital status, disabilities, and physical characteristics. However, it is much more than just words on paper or a clever equal opportunity line. It is about telling a story and demonstrating through your actions why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are important.

Diversity Recruiting Steps & Strategy

Get Started

Diversity Recruiting is about your core company beliefs, employment strategies and your ability to look at the big picture when it comes to expanding the diversity within your employee population. Look at the patients your organization serves. What is the population makeup of your community? Do your employees reflect your patient population? Do they understand how culture and family structures can impact healthcare decisions? Do they understand nuances in language? Have they been taught how different religious backgrounds impact how and when people seek care? If not, you are probably losing market share or certainly will in the near future.

Patients want and often need to be taken care of by someone who can look at much more than just physical or emotional symptoms. A more diverse employee population leads to the collaboration of different cultures, ideas, and perspectives and is an organizational asset that brings forth greater creativity and innovation in your workplace.

Define Your Company Culture

We often hear the term “recruitment brand”, but can you honestly say you have one that reflects Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? Your “recruitment brand” is NOT what you aspire to be. It is who you are NOW and a big part of that is how others experience or perceive your organization.

Can you articulate and explain your company culture, beliefs and perception in the community? Do you have a clear, inclusive mission statement? If not, start working on it now. Who are you as an employer? Would a diverse candidate feel comfortable working there?

Put together a team of internal people from various backgrounds to get their input and help you define and promote your company culture. Once you’ve defined it, believe it, commit to it and act upon it. It should be a comprehensive effort from the top down.

Embrace It

What do the leaders of your organization say and do about your DEI initiative? It is imperative your senior leadership is committed to your DEI mission. If they don’t stand behind it, nothing will change. People pay attention to what you say AND what you do. There are many ways to monitor how an organization delivers on its promises. If your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts don’t match up with what you say, then you have lost credibility and it will be very difficult to build it back.

Get Your Message Out There – How and Where You Reach People

Assess what you’re currently doing. What’s working and what isn’t? Where can you improve? What’s your budget? What are your competitors doing? Once you’ve answered these questions, you must develop a strategy about how and where you’re going to consistently communicate your message through ALL of your internal and external channels including…

• Your Website – particularly your Career Pages
• Community Involvement – get out into your community and spread your DEI message. Your community comprises your patients, visitors and employees.
• Signage throughout your buildings
• All Recruitment Communications should outline your DEI message including:

- Career Pages
- Electronic Communications including radio, TV, social media, etc
- Print Communications
- Employee Referral Programs
- Collateral & Conference materials – brochures, giveaways, etc
- Business Cards
- Job Postings

Climbing the Career Ladder & Diversity

In addition to recruiting diverse employees, mentoring and promoting them is equally important to your DEI commitment. You not only retain committed employees as you promote them, but your staff sees what you’re doing and is encouraged.

Dr. Stefanie Johnson is a professor at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder, an expert in the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) space, and the author of the recent Wall Street Journal bestseller, Inclusify. As an executive coach and consultant to large corporations on the development and succession of leaders, Dr. Johnson explains the "employee lifecycle" from recruiting to executive advancement. This lifecycle starts with the hiring of talent at companies, continues onto the engagement and development of them through teams, and then moves to the potential promotion of diverse employees into higher leadership roles. https://www.forbes.com/sites/niharchhaya/2020/06/29/why-diversity-and-inclusion-efforts-fail-to-deliver-and-how-to-change-that/#636ed82457be

Following these steps will help you achieve an appropriate Diversity Recruiting strategy. Remember, it is imperative that your senior leadership is on board and committed. Your employees, patients and community will be watching.

According to Diversity Best Practices, from 2015 to 2030, the US population is projected to grow by 12 percent, from about 321 million to 359 million. Most of that growth will come from minority and immigrant populations.

In order to better serve this growing population there needs to be more diverse healthcare professionals in leadership roles that mirror a culturally competent workforce. 

Modern Healthcare covered the industry’s lack of diversity in the C-suite mentioning, "Only 14% of hospital board members and 9% of CEOs are minorities, according to the most recent study by the American Hospital Association's Institute for Diversity and Health Equity—the same percentages as in 2013."

Yvonne Wesley, PhD, RN, FAAN and M. Jane Fitzsimmons, MSN, RN worked together to better understand the barriers diverse Nursing leaders faced in progressing their careers into higher leadership roles.

They created a survey that asked, "What do you perceive as the top three barriers for diversity Nurse leaders in advancing their careers to the executive level?" 

The answers were:

• Lack of equal access to inclusion.
• Lack of mentorship and sponsorship.
• Lack of opportunities for leader experiences.

Here are some ways to promote diversity in healthcare leadership.

In order to destroy these barriers, leaders of all backgrounds and ethnicities must first understand and accept that these barriers do exist. Those leaders can take that knowledge and their own personal cultural insights and use them to effectively address disparities within their own communities.

Mentoring programs are extremely important and should be implemented ASAP. As in any business, Nurses need leaders to help guide and inspire them. Representation of diverse Nurses in leadership positions creates positive influence and confidence in other Nurses looking to achieve leadership goals in the future.

Recruiting diverse candidates at every level increases representation in management, but also develops a diverse workforce and future pool of qualified candidates.

Utilize pro-diversity initiatives to reduce social isolation. Hire a Diversity & Inclusion Officer and appoint a diversity committee. There should be a diversity action plan, diversity training, social gatherings, and resource groups.

In healthcare, trust and representation matters. More diversity in healthcare leadership roles will create better patient outcomes.

Illness is blind to race, gender and ethnic origins. Since you are in the business of caring for others, it's critically important to ensure that clinicians, executives and even members of the governing boards, accurately represent the communities you serve. 

There is room for considerable improvement in leadership diversity in healthcare. According to AMN Healthcare, A survey by American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity in Healthcare Management found that while minorities represented 32% of patients in hospitals, they comprised only 14% of hospital board members, 11% of executive leadership, and 19% of mid-level and first-level managers. On gender, despite a healthcare workforce that is 80% female, women occupy approximately 25% of hospital CEO positions. Representation by women of color is in the single digits.

There are clear benefits of promoting diversity in the C-suite and encouraging stronger representation from groups that have long been underrepresented in executive roles. Not only do patients benefit from having advocates who represent the full spectrum of the community, but it also makes good business sense. 

Having a variety of opinions and perspectives among top leadership ranks leads to deeper discussions, more thoughtful and intentional strategies, and better decision-making. That, in turn, improves operational performance.

Diversity can be a competitive advance in recruiting, hiring, and retaining quality Nurses, Physicians and other healthcare professionals, including leaders. Like patient engagement, the engagement of team members and leaders is crucial to recruitment and retention, so diversity should be an important consideration to make all feel welcome.

Healthcare systems are aware that diversity among staff, leadership and board members is important to improving patient medical outcomes and reducing health disparities. Diversity also improves the bottom line. Companies with the most ethnically diverse executive teams are 33% more likely to outperform peers on profitability, according to McKinsey & Co.

Healthcare organizations should pursue diversity in their leadership and workforce to improve healthcare outcomes and their bottom line. 

The eight-minute film, titled Purl, emphasizes the importance of workplace inclusivity and diversity. Writer and director, Kristen Lester, used her own experiences in the animation industry for Purl's story. 

“It’s based on my experience being in animation”, says Lester, “my first job, I was like the only woman in the room and so in order to do the thing that I loved, I sort of became one of the guys. Then, I came to Pixar and I started to work on teams with women for the first time and that actually made me realise how much of the female aspect of myself I had sort of buried and left behind”.

This film emphasizes complaints about male-dominated industries and how they're still way behind in terms of hiring diverse teams, publicly reporting those figures, and properly onboarding a new employee. HR managers believe those things are key to preventing toxic or alienating work cultures. 

Watch Purl's first day at B.R.O Capital, below!