Shifting the Paradigm: Antiracist Education for Advanced Practice Nursing Providers

Area of Science:

• Health Equity
• Medical Education
• Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Racism in the U.S. negatively impacts health outcomes.
• Achieving health equity necessitates an antiracist approach in healthcare provider (HCP) education.
• Existing educational models often focus on race-based medicine or social determinants, which can perpetuate misconceptions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a required course designed to teach advanced practice nursing students about the structural foundations of racism.
• To assess the shift in learners' understanding of structural racism and the role of HCPs in addressing it.
• To move beyond race-based medicine and victim-blaming approaches in health equity education.

Main Methods:

• A mixed methods evaluation was employed.
• Anonymous surveys assessed students' ability to identify examples of structural racism in health care and the role of HCPs in addressing it.
• Pre- and post-course data were analyzed to measure changes in understanding.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase was observed in students' ability to provide examples of structural racism, rising from 41% to 70%.
• Students demonstrated significant improvement in identifying structural and institutional antiracist interventions.
• The course effectively enhanced learners' comprehension of racism within health care.

Conclusions:

• The developed course on structural racism, incorporating social and institutional interventions, significantly shifted HCP understanding.
• This educational strategy is a viable approach to advancing health equity.
• Data suggest that this curriculum can inform future educational efforts aimed at combating racism in health care.