Addressing Positionality Within Case-Based Learning to Mitigate Systemic Racism in Health Care

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Public Health
• Health Equity

Background:

• Traditional case-based learning often overlooks social determinants of health (SDOH), such as structural racism.
• This oversight limits understanding of how SDOH impact patient health status and outcomes.
• Existing healthcare and educational systems contain embedded racial oppression and discrimination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement case studies that account for patient and provider positionality.
• To counter racial oppression and discrimination within healthcare and education.
• To foster an antiracist environment in nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Described a process for creating an inclusive, antiracist environment for case-based learning.
• Outlined steps for preparing nursing students to analyze case studies.
• Emphasized using a social determinants of health (SDOH) framework to examine cases.

Main Results:

• Students are better prepared to examine case studies through an SDOH lens.
• This approach mitigates harmful impacts of systemic racism and racial discrimination in clinical care.
• Incorporating positionality enhances the effectiveness of case-based learning.

Conclusions:

• Addressing positionality in case-based learning is a key antiracist strategy.
• This method helps rectify health disparities.
• It moves healthcare towards greater equity.