Language as a proxy for race: Language and literacy and the nursing profession.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Equity
• Professional Regulation

Background:

• Nurse literacy is essential for patient safety and professional identity.
• Literacy assessment involves reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
• Language and literacy in nursing are intertwined with race, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the intersection of language, literacy, race, and equity in nursing.
• To critique current regulatory policies and classroom pedagogy regarding language and literacy.
• To advocate for a reframed understanding of language and literacy in nursing.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of deficit discourse surrounding multilingual nursing students.
• Examination of regulatory language testing policies for internationally educated nurses.
• Critique of the "one standard English" myth in academic evaluation.

Main Results:

• Multilingual students' needs are often homogenized, disregarding diverse abilities.
• International nurse language testing policies can be discriminatory and irrelevant to practice.
• The "one standard English" myth perpetuates racist evaluation practices.

Conclusions:

• Language proficiency in nursing is complex and influenced by racial biases.
• Current policies and pedagogy require reform to promote equity for racialized multilingual students.
• A shift in mindset is needed to acknowledge personal relationships with racial issues in nursing education and practice.