The Importance of Diversity in Nursing

Diversity refers to recognizing the differences in an individual and understanding that each person is unique. These differences can include gender, race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, physical abilities, religious beliefs, veteran status, and more. 

The value of diversity in travel nursing is tremendous, as it helps ensure quality care is provided to patients, regardless of their background. When a nurse understands their patients’ customs, beliefs, needs, risk factors, and how treatment may affect them emotionally, they can compassionately administer well-informed care. Additionally, patients may feel more comfortable with a nurse who they feel can understand and advocate for them.

"A high-quality health care system starts with a culture that promotes equity and reduces disparities." Ontario Health

Diversity for Canadian nurses

Nurses who work in Canada face diversity every shift, with colleagues, business leaders, and patients. This makes understanding diversity and fostering inclusivity incredibly important for healthcare workplaces. 

Travel nursing offers first-hand experience working with diverse groups of individuals and patients in a range of settings. This experience will broaden nurses’ horizons and can deliver long-term career benefits for compassionate caregiving. In Canada, and among our travel nurses, some of the most common types of diversity seen include inner-city homeless, First Nations peoples and refugees. While some within these populations are under-served or face barriers to access health care, those who do get treatment may receive inadequate care. To mitigate this, it’s essential to provide cultural safety to these groups and all patients. 

Recognizing your unconscious bias

An unconscious bias is a social stereotype about certain groups of people that is formed and held without conscious awareness. Recognizing your own biases is the first step to overcoming them. Each and every nurse should take the time to consider what unconscious biases they may have. 

"Cultural competence should be an entry-to-practice level requirement, with ongoing professional development for all nurses." Canadian Nurses Association

Diversity, equity and inclusion training

It is essential to promote inclusion and diversity within nursing. By encouraging and celebrating diversity, nurses can learn from each other and leverage each other’s unique knowledge and understanding to deliver exceptional care. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training programs exist to support individuals and organizations through education. These programs are designed to be user-friendly, engaging, and practical. They are also very informative because they are developed by diversity and inclusion experts who have deep knowledge of the subject matter.

• Training: San’yas Anti-Racism Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Program

• Training: The Canadian Diversity Initiative

• Training: Canadian Equality Consulting

• Training: Aboriginal Health: For the Next Seven Generations for the Children 

Select Medical Connections & cultural safety training 

Select Medical Connections works to include all and doesn’t tolerate the ism’s: racism, ageism, sexism, classism, ableism. 

We are proud to support diversity and inclusion training for our staff and our nurses. We require all nurses going to Vancouver Island to take San’Yas Indigenous Cultural Safety training or an equivalent approved course. San’yas is an online training program designed to enhance self-awareness and strengthen the skills of those who work both directly and indirectly with Indigenous people. Its goal is to develop understanding and promote positive partnerships between service providers and Indigenous people. Cultural safety is crucial to healthcare – as nurses, we are responsible for fostering an environment where our patients feel safe and cared for, and the San’yas: Indigenous Culture Safety Training Program aims to do just that. Our team was so impressed with the training, we extended the program to our staff members as well. 

"A nursing workforce that does not reflect the nation’s demographic profile risks widening the health disparities that exist among majority and minority groups."Canadian Nurse

Additional resources for diversity in nursing

Video: Addressing the Gap in Nursing Workforce Diversity
Article: Cultural Competence in Nursing
Article: 9 Strategies for Increasing Diversity and Inclusivity in Nursing Education
Article: Understanding the True Importance of Cultural Diversity in Nursing