Nursing Health Policy, Advocacy, Access and Ethics

The School of Nursing at the University of Minnesota is dedicated to creating a culture that embraces inclusivity, diversity, equity and social justice.

Inclusivity

Inclusivity is a guiding principle that values diverse perspectives, opinions and beliefs, different ways of understanding and knowing, including Indigenous and ancestral knowledge. These differences and common understandings enrich our lives and foster holistic, value-centered decisions and the impact of day-to-day actions. Our aim is to foster a safe environment that respects and acknowledges all people within the school and in the communities we serve and for which we advocate. As a community of educators, practitioners, and researchers, we commit to developing innovative nursing professionals who provide holistic, culturally-appropriate care and leadership for all people, organizations, environments, and the planet.

Diversity

Diversity reflects our individual and personal characteristics, including but not limited to age; race; ethnicity; gender identity; sexual orientation; family structures; national origin; immigrants and refugees; physical, functional, and learning abilities; religious beliefs; and socioeconomic status. We commit to cultivating a diverse community and workforce guided by our dedication to fairness and social justice. We believe welcoming and respecting diversity is rooted in our moral obligation and responsibilities as human beings and nursing professionals.

Equity  and Social Justice

The School of Nursing is a proponent of accessible, quality care for all individuals. Furthermore, we are committed to eliminating health care inequities for people from marginalized communities. Through a commitment to equity and social justice, we will work to dismantle discriminatory systems and practices and promote equity within nursing, health care systems, and society.

School of Nursing anti-racism statement

The School of Nursing acknowledges the role racism plays in the creation of disparities in health care, nursing education and research, and how this history impacts Indigenous peoples and communities of color. We strive to make plurality central to our work. Because racism is imbued in our systems and institutions and because racism by individuals can be both intentional and unintentional, we are committed to building on existing anti-racist policies, practices and pedagogies, and learning from the experiences of Indigenous peoples and people of color. To ensure that our words are translated into action, we commit to ongoing self-evaluation and organizational reflection to better align our reality with our values. The University of Minnesota School of Nursing is committed to providing our learners with a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment. Learn more about our Promoting Safe Learning Environments policy. The University of Minnesota and the School of Nursing are also committed to a campus climate that is welcoming, inclusive and respectful for all. Let us know if we fall short by submitting an anonymous incident report.

IDEA guest lectures address pertinent health and nursing diversity and equity issues.

• Marique B. Moss: Afro Indigenous Identity
• Whitney Fear Johnson, MSN, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C: Walking In Two Worlds
• Terrance Kwame-Ross, PhD on DEI: The Second Wave of Desegregation Efforts in America: What does this mean for education and the caring professions?
• Margaret P. Moss PhD, JD, RN, FAAN on How Federal Indian Policies have Affected AIAN Health Outcomes: a Minnesota Exempla
• Jaden Hansen: Both and Neither: A discussion on the impacts of invisibility on transgender men in healthcare, curriculum, and policy 
• Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) workshop - Creating Health and Healing: Holding Difficult Truths
• Dr. Becky Martinez: Interactive discussion on class and classism in higher education

• Doctoral Education Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses
• Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity Strategies and Plans for Anti-racism
• School of Nursing Leaders Commit to Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity (video)
• Black Lives Matter and Anti-racism Resources
• In It Together: Dismantling Systems of White Supremacy (video)
• “I can’t breathe”: A call for antiracist nursing practice by Dr. Kara Koschmann, PhD graduate of the School of Nursing
• Religious observances (PowerPoint download)

• Office for Equity and Diversity
• Disability Resource Center
• Student Parent Help Center
• Student Organization Page
• Funding for Graduate School

• Standing United: The Fight Against Inequality, a Google Cloud deck (PDF)
• Culture Care Connection, an online learning and resource center supporting the provision of culturally-competent health care, developed by Stratis Health