Diversity In Nursing

Over the past 25 years, society has shifted dramatically in a new direction. The demographic makeup of the United States continues to change drastically. Because of this change, everyone will be required to become increasingly aware of the people in their surroundings. Some may argue that diversity is based on gender, sex, creed, origin, or some other form of tangible trait however; diversity is much more than that. The American Nurses Association produces the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. This publication has written several scholarly articles about diversity and healthcare. The article, Many Faces, Campinha-Bacote, states “Diversity. It is a word that means something different to each and every person”. What a great definition. As I continue to do research I am seeing more and more information about diversity and other people’s definition of what it is. One website I came across while compiling this research included http://www.diversityrx.org/ This particular site is devoted to providing resources to the community and healthcare employees about trends in diversity. This website is for anyone interested in cultural diversity issues. Healthy People 2010, is a ten-year

Diversity is the process where all individuals are respected and valued the same. This means within a health and social care setting all individuals care is not obstructed or compromised by their differences whether this race, religion or gender.

In this assignment, I will be analysing the benefits of understanding diversity in health and social care as well as understanding what will happen if a worker does not understand diversity.

We live in a very diverse nation and overcoming challenges related to cultural beliefs and preferences is a very common obstacle for health care workers today. In an article in The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing cultural diversity is defined as being more than just race,

Culture is a multifaceted characters of a diverse sets of people that have a common ground on values, languages, emotions and identity. It is a symbolic communication perpetuated in a much larger society that influence by means of conditioning and imitation from one generation to the next. Knowledge of cultural diversity is crucial at all levels of nursing practice. It require nurses to be challenge on a multilevel amplitude of social character and commitment. It is empirical that the nurse consider specific cultural factors impacting on each individual patients and be able to recognize its differences. The impact of cultural diversity on each patient start with the nurse as a co-provider and influence on the perceptions, interpretations and behaviors of a particular specific cultural group. Nurses need to understand the validity of how culture minded patients understand life process, health, illness, death, and dying. Through collaboration and scientific evidence of multicultural society can bring about a culturally-relevant and responsive services.

The concept of cultural diversity is very near and dear to my heart, especially since I am of a mixture of races. Growing up in a Cuban/Jamaican household has definitely posed challenges for me throughout my life journey. Now, as a nurse I have a better understand on how cultural diversity can play a huge part in patient care. As the world is changing and people are marrying cultures together, it is imperative that we become sensitive to the needs of others in a world of diverse backgrounds.

In this article, the experience of a medical doctor is used to shed light on the subject of racial bias/ discrimination in health care and how it is affecting health outcome of racial and ethnic minority. “Race or ethnic group is a major social factor that influences health in the U.S Braveman 387. Health inequity is at the center stage of public health discussion. Understanding the upstream factors that causes inequities and disparities can help to bridge the gap of inequality. Eliminating health disparity will protect and improve the health of racial and ethnic minority population, which is consistent with the principle of public health-improving and protecting health of populations.

There are disparities in healthcare between different races, ages, genders, etc., and these issues need to be addressed. The Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation (NPHF) has a diversity code. They emphasize the importance of cultural competency and the value of diversity. Cultural competency is viewed as a core element for the fulfillment of the healthcare needs of people around the world. “In fact, diversity is the lens through which we must view people's healthcare needs. The Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation (NPHF) celebrates, respects, and values the inherent worth of every individual, and is committed to promoting the inclusion of every single person in the healthcare system” (NPHF, 2015). Allowing APRNs to practice to the full

According to the December 2012 United States Census Bureau Population Projection, the nation will continue its trend of consistent diversification. By 2024, the non-Hispanic white population will show a decrease in numbers. Minorities including Hispanics, African Americans and Asians will double, and other groups will increase by at least half. Eventually, non-Hispanic whites will not be seen as a majority, but as an equally represented group among its ethnic counterparts (U.S. Bureau, 2014). This projection can not be transposed to the country’s nursing population. Non-Hispanic white nurses often vastly outnumber other groups (Bessent, 2009, p6). The nursing workforce needs to actively and continually diversify its professionals to provide competent care for the nation’s ever-changing population.

The concept of diversity is one that individuals may not think of when they think of nursing. Diversity is a major component to nursing and the care that is provided to patients. In this concept analysis, antecedent, attributes and consequences of diversity are identified. The following antecedents are: race, social economy, knowledge, gender, and education level. The attributes of diversity are individual, variety, perception, difference and civilization. The consequences of diversity are as follows; acceptance, decision making, cultural competency qualifications, respect, degrading, trusts

According to the results of a survey conducted, by 2050 the population of the United States will predominantly (more than fifty percent) consist of the non-whites. With this fact in mind, it would be highly advisable to meet the anticipated changes. in order to ensure a fully competent and ethnic-minded workforce. Different ethnic backgrounds come with their particular cultural specifications, which call for a person with an in-depth knowledge of these specifications in order to accord satisfactory attendance to the patients and clients (Mason, 2012). Furthermore, many patients and customers feel more at ease with someone they can relate to, be it ethnically, in terms of gender, background or even religion. It remains an unquestionable fact

Not only is nursing mostly white, but it is also mostly female. “Men do not belong in nursing. I refuse to precept him. Men do not remain as floor nurses longer than a year. I refuse to precept him. Men do not have the capacity to offer empathy. I refuse to precept him.” These were my welcoming statements during my first day as a floor nurse, the youngest and least senior nurse agreed to train me, and I was grateful. Diversity in nursing either by gender or culture is not prevalent in America as of yet.

As nursing continues to advance health care in the 21st century, the current shift in demographics, coupled with the ongoing disparities in health care and health outcomes, will warrant our ongoing attention and action. As within all health professions, concerted efforts are needed to diversify the nation's health-care workforce. The nursing profession in particular will be challenged to recruit and retain a culturally diverse workforce that mirrors the nation's change in demographics. This increased need to enhance diversity in nursing is not new to the profession; however, the need to successfully address this issue has never been greater. This article discusses increasing the

As a healthcare professional it is important to be aware of the complex issues that shape the healthcare field. One of the major topics that have raised concern in healthcare is diversity. Diversity is having people of different race or different cultures together in a group or organization. Diversity extends beyond race and culture and encompasses differences related to age, gender, sexual orientation, education, income, social status, and so on (Blais & Hayes, 2016). Every healthcare organization has patients with diverse background whether it is healthcare workers or patients.

Importance is given to increase the diversity to ensure nurses are able to provide care for a culturally diverse patient population.