The globalization of health care requires academic settings to provide opportunities for students, staff and faculty to engage transcultural learning (Cruz et al., 2017; McKinnon & McNelis, 2013). Through the promotion of self-efficacy, actors in the academic environment gain the confidence to work with persons from different socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, different abilities, and sexual orientation. Bandura’s (1977) theory of self-efficacy proposes that confidence is gained through vicarious experiences (modeling), verbal persuasion (coaching), psychological states (a person’s mood and response) and performance attainment (mastery). Repeated experiences and exposure to different cultures produces the confidence that is necessary to develop mastery to provide health care for a global community. From the administrative secretary to the Dean, the infusion of diversity and inclusion are critical to the development of transculturally competent nurses.
Purpose
The purpose of this presentation is to describe a certificate program that will provide opportunities that promote self-efficacy and performance attainment related to diversity and inclusion in a college of nursing.
Method
The certificate program is modeled after the university-wide program entitled Diversity, Intercultural and Community Engagement for Students. The College of Nursing Diversity and Inclusion in Health Care Certificate is open to students, faculty and staff. The program is advertised on a website and participants sign up to work toward one of three levels; Champion, Advocate and Ally. The first level, Champion, requires participation in 18 events or diversity education learning opportunities available online, in the community or on campus. The second level, Advocate, requires participation in at least 12 of these events, and the highest level, Ally requires completion of 6 events. Examples of events include but are not limited to volunteering in the community, training on implicit bias, watching diversity-related videos, or participating in health screenings in vulnerable communities. Participants record activities in their online profile. An annual recognition celebration is held to provide participants certificates in honor of their efforts and achievements.
Results
More than 400 students, faculty, and staff from the have participated in the program since 2014. More than half of these participants have achieved Ally level, 31 have attained Advocate level and 24 have reached Champion level.
Discussion/Implications
Providing performance attainment opportunities through community participation and education has the potential to promote cultural literacy and skills in nursing students. Global partners can use the template for this program to increase transcultural opportunities across various regions and care settings. Future directions for the certificate program will include measuring participants’ cultural self-efficacy and exploration of the influence of this program on evidence-based, culturally informed practice (Halter et al., 2015). Our efforts to increase participant exposure to different cultures will promote learning, enhance skills in practice, and improve patient-centered health outcomes.