About the Presenters
Lucinda Canty is a nurse-midwife researching outcomes disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality. She recently graduated with her PhD from University of Connecticut and teaches at the University of St. Joeseph. Dr. Canty is also an artist, and you can see some of her work below. Dr. Canty is an advocate for all women to have access to doulas and was highlighted for her work with the CT Doula Task Force work in the following article: https://www.wnpr.org/post/connecticut-looks-expand-doula-services-improve-childbirth-outcomes
Hailing from North Carolina, Patrick McMurray is a second-generation nurse. Patrick works clinically as an adult float pool nurse. He also teaches nursing pharmacology as an adjunct nurse faculty. Patrick is passionate about community colleges and the access to education they furnish. He is working on his Master of Science in Nursing Education at Western Governor’s University. In his spare time, you can find Patrick blogging at https://www.patmacrn.com/.
Terminology and Definitions
Diversity is “a broad range of individual, population, and social characteristics, including but not limited to age; sex; race; ethnicity; sexual orientation; gender identity; family structures; geographic locations; national origin; immigrants and refugees; language; physical, functional, and learning abilities; religious beliefs; and socioeconomic status” (AACN Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group, 2017).
According to AACN (2017), Equity is “the ability to recognize the differences in the resources or knowledge needed to allow individuals to fully participate in society, including access to higher education, with the goal of overcoming obstacles to ensure fairness (Kranich, 2001). To have equitable systems, all people should be treated fairly, unhampered by artificial barriers, stereotypes or prejudices (Cooper, 2016).”
Justice is a concept that is contested, with many different definitions and applications. When we talk about justice, we can mean many different things. Often we think of fairness and equitable distribution of resources, though there are many dimensions to consider when thinking about justice. Justice looks different depending on the position of its seeker, often, and is dependent on context.
Inclusion is defined as a culture that encourages collaboration, flexibility, and fairness as well as leverages diversity so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential (AACN Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group, 2017).
Please review our formal antiracism position statement in order to work towards and a more just, equitable nursing future here: NTC Formal Position Statement.
References
AACN Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group. (2017). Diversity, inclusion, and equity in academic nursing: AACN position statement. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/Position-Statements/Diversity-Inclusion.pdf
Cooper, C. L. (2016). The blackwell encyclopedia of management. Blackwell Publishing, Blackwell Reference Online. Accessed at http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/book.html?id=g9780631233176_9780631233176
Kranich, N. (2001). Libraries and democracy. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 2001: 15-27.