Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Healthcare

Description

 Diversity, equity, and inclusion of all patients can lead to better health outcomes in the community in which we work. Creating a culture of inclusion and understanding our own biases, will help us improve patient care. It is important to understand how we are the same and how we are different in language, education, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability, religion, political beliefs, and morals. Ensuring equity creates fair and just opportunities to receive and benefit from healthcare. In addition, deliberately including all peoples creates a welcoming and respectful environment for our patients.

Providers may not be aware of how diversity, equity and inclusions problems can hinder their care and relationships with patients. Some states are requiring all clinical professionals to have continuing education on cultural and linguistic competency and implicit bias.
 

Objectives

After completing this activity, learners will be able to:

• Evaluate the impact of diversity in your practice
• Assess the levels of implicit and explicit bias in your practice
• Implement/improve the collection of race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity demographic data
• Develop an action plan to make your practice a more welcoming environment for everyone

Description of the Professional Practice Gap (PPG)

Literature shows that there is evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in health consistent across a range of illnesses and healthcare services even after adjusting for socioeconomic differences, insurance status, and other factors. Providers may not be aware of how diversity, equity and inclusions problems can hinder their care and relationships with patients. Some states are requiring all clinical professionals to have continuing education on cultural and linguistic competency and implicit bias. It is incumbent that as APCs, we understand health equity. The University of North Carolina Health states, “Health equity means ensuring that every person in every community can get the same high-quality care regardless of individual characteristics, such as ethnicity, gender, or geographic location. Several social, economic, and cultural factors significantly affect both physical and mental health. We strive to recognize and eliminate these disadvantages that lead to healthcare disparities through initiatives that increase diversity in leadership, improve training for cultural competency, and strengthen community partnerships.”

Learning Outcome

Learners will complete three interactive exercises that assess the extent of diversity, equity, and inclusion of their practices.           NOTE: The purpose of this is to allow learners to identify areas for improvement in their practices. Although the exercises are not scored, they must be completed to obtain full credit/contact hours.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, learners will be able to:

• Evaluate the impact of diversity in your practice
• Assess the levels of implicit and explicit bias in your practice
• Identify opportunities ti improve diversity and inclusion
• Implement/improve the collection of race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity demographic data
• Develop an action plan to make your practice a more welcoming environment for everyone

Course Developers

Kimberly Hathaway, MSN, RN, CPHRM, CPHQ, Director Patient Safety Healthcare Quality & Risk Management, The Doctors Company
Susan Boisvert, BSN, MHSA, CPPS, CPHRM, DFASHRM, Patient Safety Risk Manager II, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
Debra Davidson, MJ, ARM, CPHRM, CPPS, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company
Johanna Lackner, MPH, MSW, Senior Director, Continuing Professional Development, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company


Accreditation and Disclosure Statements

The Doctors Company is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

The Doctors Company designates this activity for a maximum of 0.5 nursing contact hour. Learners should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
No individual in a position to control or influence the content of this activity has reported relevant financial relationships with commercial interests. No commercial support was provided for this activity. 


Disclaimer Statement

This program is being offered for informational and educational purposes only from a Patient Safety Risk Management perspective and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary from state to state, actual clinical situations often involve subtle differences and nuances from program scenarios or recommendations, and the recommendations provided in this activity may not apply to all practice situations. In complex circumstances, which present significant potential for an adverse event or litigation, TDC and the faculty recommend you consult directly with your corporate or personal counsel for professional legal guidance. 

Complies with State Requirements
Please SEE the Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse CE Requirements by State.

Technical Requirements

The activity is best experienced using the most current browser: Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Microsoft Edge. Internet Explorer is not supported by this platform. All activities featuring audio must have a speaker. To view graphic images and references that appear in separate "pop-up" windows, JavaScript and session cookies must be enabled on your computer. Adobe Acrobat Reader may be required for certain activities.

Contact Us

If you have questions, contact educationsupport@thedoctors.com or call 800.421.2368.

Resource

Visit our Resource document for this program.