Rewriting the Microaggression Narrative: Enhancing Nursing Students' Ability to Respond.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Disparities
• Diversity and Inclusion

Background:

• Increasing nursing workforce diversity is crucial for addressing health disparities.
• Nursing schools often face challenges in achieving student diversity.
• Diverse nursing students are frequently exposed to microaggressions and bias.

Purpose of the Study:

• To equip nursing students with effective strategies for responding to microaggressions.
• To reduce barriers to nursing education caused by discrimination and bias.
• To enhance the learning environment for diverse student populations.

Main Methods:

• Development of an interactive workshop utilizing the Theater of the Oppressed.
• Implementation of performance techniques to simulate real-life scenarios.
• Pre- and post-workshop evaluations to assess learning outcomes.

Main Results:

• 97 students participated in the workshop.
• Post-workshop evaluations showed improved ability to recognize microaggressions.
• Students reported increased intent to respond to microaggressions.

Conclusions:

• Race, gender, and ability were common themes in microaggression scenarios.
• The workshop effectively provided a platform for practicing response strategies.
• Interactive methods enhance students' capacity to address microaggressions in academic and clinical settings.