Nursing Students' Perceptions of Racism in Nursing and Health Care

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Disparities
• Anti-Racism Training

Background:

• Limited literature exists on teaching racism in healthcare settings.
• Nursing organizations are committed to addressing racism in healthcare.
• This study addresses the need for effective anti-racism curricula in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine nursing students' perceptions of racism in nursing and healthcare.
• To identify effective teaching strategies for addressing racism in nursing curricula.
• To inform the development of anti-racism education for future nurses.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods pre- and postintervention design.
• Quantitative analysis: Frequencies and descriptive statistics.
• Qualitative analysis: Content analysis of reflective journal entries.

Main Results:

• Sixty-six graduate and undergraduate nursing students participated.
• Postintervention survey responses showed increased agreement on most items.
• Key themes identified: discomfort yet necessity of the topic, increased awareness, courage to advocate, and practical application.

Conclusions:

• Open discussions, storytelling, and case studies are effective teaching methods.
• These methods can enhance nursing students' understanding and ability to address racism.
• Further research should explore the long-term impact of these teaching strategies.