Six ways to get a grip by calling-out racism and enacting allyship in medical education

Theory analysis and evaluation of emancipatory nursing praxis: A theory of social justice in nursing

PURPOSE

The aim of this paper was to analyze and evaluate the middle-range theory, emancipatory nursing praxis (ENP): a theory of social justice in nursing.

METHODS

Peterson and Bredow's method was utilized to complete the theory evaluation. The theory was evaluated systematically to ensure the appropriateness of application for research in nursing education and transforming nursing students into social justice allies.

FINDINGS

The ENP theory has not been widely used since its introduction in 2017, although it is even more relevant today after the revelation of profound societal inequities during the pandemic. The theory lacks testing and empirical indicators for utilization in nursing practice.

CONCLUSION

ENP addresses the mandate from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for nurse educators to foster the development of students as social justice leaders and competent caregivers across the life span. This theory provides a framework to apply in nursing education to improve the professional competency in social justice and disparities. However, further research is needed to develop tools to measure outcomes and generalizability.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

ENP middle-range theory could support nursing educators and nursing programs to develop learning strategies and curricula to facilitate nursing students' knowledge and application in social justice advocates, allies, and leaders, thus improving individual, community, and global health outcomes.

"Head of the Class": equity discourses related to department head appointments at one Canadian medical school

Purpose

Equitable appointments of departmental leaders in medical schools have lagged behind other Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) advancements. The purpose of this research was to 1) analyze how policy documents communicate changing ideas of EDI, employment equity, and departmental leadership; and 2) investigate department heads' (DH) perspectives on EDI policies and practices.

Methods

We conducted a critical discourse analysis to examine underlying assumptions shaping EDI and departmental leadership in one Canadian medical school. We created and analyzed a textual archive of EDI documents (n = 17, 107 pages) and in-depth interviews with past (n = 6) and current (n = 12) DH (830 minutes; 177 pages).

Results

Documents framed EDI as: a legal requirement; an aspiration; and historical reparation. In interviews, participants framed EDI as: affirmative action; relationships; numerical representation; and relinquishing privilege. We noted inconsistent definitions of equity-deserving groups.

Conclusions

Change is slowly happening, with emerging awareness of white privilege, allyship, co-conspiracy, and the minority tax. However, there is more urgent work to be done. This work requires an intersectional lens. Centering the voices, and taking cues from equity-deserving leaders and scholars will help ensure that EDI pathways, such as those used to cultivate department leaders, are more inclusive, effective, and aligned with intentions.

Five ways to get a grip on the need to include clinical placements in Indigenous settings

Educational organizations that train medical professionals are intricately linked to the responsibility of creating culturally safe healthcare providers. However, prevailing inequities contribute to the continued oppression of Indigenous peoples, evidenced by inequitable access, treatment, and outcomes in the healthcare system. Despite an increasing awareness of how colonialist systems and the structures within them can contribute to health disparities, this awareness has not led to drastic improvements of health outcomes for Indigenous peoples. Many recently graduated health professionals will have likely encountered Indigenous peoples as a minority population within the larger, non-Indigenous context. Clinical placements in Indigenous settings may improve recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in rural and remote settings, while helping educational institutions fulfill their social accountability missions. These placements may aid in the decolonization of care through reductions in bias and racism of medical professionals. Clinical placements in Indigenous settings may better prepare providers to navigate the dynamic challenges of the healthcare needs of Indigenous peoples safely and respectfully.