The Girandole: a framework to aid equality, diversity and inclusion-focussed reflection in nursing education

Purpose The need for authentic equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in nursing education and clinical practice is well documented, with many institutional initiatives developed over the past decade. Yet, despite these efforts, discriminatory behaviours toward nursing students and healthcare practitioners continue to surface—undermining institutional policies, professional codes and fundamental human values. This discursive paper presents a conceptual framework—the “Girandole” (French for the spinning child’s toy windmill or pinwheel)—designed to identify enablers and barriers to EDI in clinical learning environments. The paper also explores its application to current nursing placement experiences. Design/methodology/approach An interdisciplinary, multi-cultural team of academics, clinicians and researchers, EDI leads, spontaneously united for a framework lab. The team activities and numerous EDI discussions led to co-designing the Girandole framework, which maps the domains influencing EDI in clinical education. Findings The Girandole framework symbolises the rotating forces that influence EDI in nursing placements. The direction of the rotation of the vanes of the Girandole indicates whether these are enablers or obstacles for culturally and inclusively competent care and education. It provides a lens to examine the hidden curriculum, cultural competence and lived experiences, while promoting active bystandership and organisational accountability. Originality/value This discursive paper offers a novel, visually engaging framework grounded in lived experience. The Girandole offers educators, mentors, students and institutions a practical tool to reflect on and improve EDI culture. Though developed in nursing, the Girandole is transferable to other healthcare professions, supporting inclusive and ethically grounded education.