Returning to the Profession's Roots: Social Justice in Nursing Education for the 21st Century

This article reviews the history of social justice in nursing and argues that education needs to be redesigned to allow nurses to return to the profession's social justice roots. A review of social justice literature in nursing practice and education was conducted. Although social justice is a recurring theme in the literature, definitions are abstract, calls to action are ambiguous, and theoretical frameworks continue to emphasize the individual nurse-patient dyad. Nursing education needs to be redesigned to incorporate social justice concepts throughout the entire curriculum. By educating the current and future nursing workforce, the profession can return to its roots of social justice to address structural inequalities and social injustices that manifest as health inequities in the United States.