Health Equity Consortium: Amplifying Diverse Nursing Voices for Action

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Nursing
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Systemic discrimination creates inequities in nursing workforce experiences and leadership for 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous, and Black nurses.
• These inequities impact the nursing profession, health system performance, and culturally safer care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the Health Equity Consortium (HEC) as a policy-relevant organizational response to structural inequities in nursing.
• To demonstrate how professional associations can operationalize equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

Main Methods:

• Guided by Critical Social Theory, utilizing concepts of liberation and conscientization.
• Examining how shared experiences of marginalization inform coordinated policy and practice interventions.
• Analyzing the HEC's governance, advocacy, and capacity-building mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The HEC advances anti-racism initiatives and integrates equity into professional development and education.
• Leadership pathways are being created for underrepresented nurses.
• Collective advocacy within the HEC influences policy priorities, strengthens accountability, and supports system-level change.

Conclusions:

• The HEC offers a transferable model for embedding equity within professional governance and health policy.
• Nursing leadership is crucial for advancing structural change and addressing healthcare workforce inequities.
• The HEC's approach provides insights for policymakers and health organizations to improve healthcare system inclusivity.