Evidence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Nursing Syllabi: A Descriptive Analysis

Schools of nursing must produce nurses able to address the care needs of diverse populations. Within schools of nursing, faculty should intentionally construct syllabi to establish an environment of inclusivity where diversity is embraced.

Content analysis of 81 undergraduate and graduate course syllabi from four university campuses was performed to determine explicit evidence of content on diverse populations, inclusive andragogy, and policies related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Three quarters of terms indicative of diverse populations were found in course syllabi; all terms that provided evidence of inclusive andragogy and all DEI-related policies were identified at least once in course syllabi.

Strengths and weaknesses were identified in communicating DEI content, policies, and inclusive andragogy to students. Faculty development on best practices related to inclusion of DEI in the classroom beginning with the syllabus is the first step to ensure a more inclusive nursing workforce. [.