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Assessing Color-Blind Racism in Nursing Students
Kristine Ramsay-Seaner1, Amber Letcher, Mary J Isaacson
1About the Authors The authors are faculty and students at South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota. Kristine Ramsay-Seaner, PhD, NCC, is associate professor, School of Education, Counseling and Human Development. Amber Letcher, PhD, is associate professor, School of Education, Counseling and Human Development. Mary J. Isaacson, PhD, RN, CHPN, is associate professor, College of Nursing, Rapid City, South Dakota. Kathryn Fenster, BS, is a graduate student, School of Education, Counseling and Human Development. Benjamin Heckmann, BS, is a graduate student, School of Education, Counseling and Human Development. Support for this study came from South Dakota State University. For more information, contact Dr. Letcher at amber.letcher@sdstate.edu .
Undergraduate nursing students showed increased racial bias as they progressed through their program. White students reported more color-blind racial attitudes than students of color, highlighting a need for multicultural education.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Health Disparities
- Racial Bias
Background:
- The nursing workforce demographics do not reflect the U.S. population, exacerbating health disparities.
- Addressing racial bias in nursing is crucial for equitable healthcare delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate changes in racial bias among undergraduate nursing students.
- To examine the influence of student race on racial attitudes.
Main Methods:
- Administered the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale to first- and fifth-semester nursing students.
- Utilized an online survey for data collection.
- Compared racial attitudes based on academic semester and student race.
Main Results:
- Fifth-semester students exhibited significantly higher racial bias compared to first-semester students.
- White nursing students reported more color-blind racial attitudes than students of color.
- Student race was a significant factor influencing racial attitudes.
Conclusions:
- Nursing education may inadvertently increase racial bias.
- There is a need to integrate multicultural curricula into nursing programs to mitigate bias.
- Interventions are recommended to foster cultural competence and reduce health disparities.
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