Redressing discrimination in Canadian nursing programs: Student perspectives

To identify strategies nursing students recommend for responding to discrimination in their program.

The nursing discipline is rooted in social justice, which is increasingly positioned as practices that seek to enhance equity in health and healthcare. Yet, a growing body of knowledge indicates nursing students experience discrimination by virtue of race, sexual identity, gender identity, ability and mental health in nursing programs. There is a dearth of information that speaks to redressing discrimination in nursing schools, particularly from the perspectives of nursing students.

This study reports on the findings of the qualitative portion of a mixed-methods project.

Data were collected via qualitative interviews (n=20) conducted on the Zoom platform. Inclusion criteria included any nursing graduate or undergraduate student enrolled in two institutions in Western Canada. Analysis was guided by a combination of thematic analysis with interpretive description to facilitate the identification of broader themes within the context of relevant disciplinary considerations.

Three key themes that represent nursing student perspectives to redress discrimination in their programs were identified: (1) strategies to redress discrimination at the level of the educator/curriculum, (2) strategies to redress discrimination at the structural level and, (3) strategies to support students who have experienced discrimination.

Systematic curriculum updates and educator supports to ensure up-to date knowledge and appropriate educator approaches are needed in classroom and clinical settings. The integration of equity-seeking processes at higher levels, e.g. for example, nursing standards of practice, was identified as essential to redress discrimination in education as well in everyday nursing practice. Lastly, a clearly defined reporting pathway was suggested to support students who have been subject to discrimination. Given this is one of the first investigations into student perspectives on redressing discrimination in nursing schools, additional research is needed to evoke meaningful change.