Addressing the Diversity Gap in Nursing Leadership: Awareness, Perceptions and Implications of Racism in Nursing

Background: The lack of diversity in nursing leadership negatively impacts minority nurses entering the profession and those pursuing leadership opportunities. This representation disparity adversely affects the social determinants of health and exacerbates health inequities. The Commission to Address Racism in Nursing (CARN) report has recommendations for how the profession can address racism that most nursing leaders are not aware of. Local Problem: The deficit in the diversity of healthcare systems’ nursing leadership is measurable when compared to the diversity of the total nursing workforce. Limited awareness among nurse leaders regarding this topic may contribute to continued racism in nursing and produce barriers for advancement. Methods: This quality improvement project utilized a mixed-methods design. Quantitative statistics included completion rates of the Commission to Address Racism in Nursing (CARN) survey and pre-and post-survey answer comparisons. Qualitative data analyzed participants’ responses on the awareness and perceptions of racism. Interventions: Over a four-week period, current nurse leaders received the CARN survey and an American Nurse Association (ANA) video on racism in nursing practice. Quantitative data compared pre-post intervention changes in responses, while qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Thematic analysis exposed varying awareness and perception of racism in nursing. Participants acknowledged a lack of awareness of the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) and CARN reports. Conclusion: Only 33% of participants were aware of the NASEM and CARN reports. The recommendations in these reports are paramount in increasing diversity in nursing and potentially decreasing health inequities.