Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging

“Someone who makes the commitment and effort to recognize their privilege (based on gender, class, race, sexual identity, etc.) and work in solidarity with oppressed groups in the struggle for justice” (https://guides.library.georgetown.edu/antiracism/glossary). 

“An ethical duty through intentional interventions, advocacy, and support to eliminate harmful acts, words, or deeds and create space to amplify voices that are not traditionally heard, recognized, or welcomed” (National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, Project ECHO, 2022).

“In practice, anti-racism combines awareness and action. Someone who is anti-racist actively seeks to understand how racism functions in their society and takes steps to end racial inequities, such as racism in health care” (Nursing License Map, 2022). “Awareness involved with being anti-racist includes a conscious decision to make frequent, consistent, equitable choices daily” (https://guides.library.georgetown.edu/antiracism/glossary).

“Cultural safety means creating an environment that is spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically safe for all people, where there is no denial of identity, who they are, or what they need” (Seven Dancers Coalition, Akwesasne, New York; partial definition derived from the indigenous teachings of the Māori nurses of New Zealand). 

Health equity in hospice and palliative care refers to access to unbiased high-quality care and services for all individuals facing serious illness. This encompasses ensuring that patients receive culturally sensitive care; have access to appropriate symptom management, emotional support, and spiritual care; and are able to make informed decisions about their care.  

“A system in which public policies, laws, institutional practices, cultural representations, and other norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial group inequity” (Aspen Institute, 2022).

To support the training and education of nurses and other health care workers, included in this section are resources specific to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and anti-racism work in hospice and palliative care nursing.

• The Imperative Need for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) in Nursing
• The Upstate Bias Checklist: A Checklist for Assessing Bias in Health Professions Education Content
• Center for the Study of Social Policy: Equity and Justice
• National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing
• Resources for Change

Allyship is at the core of anti-racism nursing practice. Clinicians and healthcare leaders play a key role in fostering a culture of allyship and anti-racism across all settings where hospice and palliative care nurses work. This section provides resources about allyship and how to be an effective ally.

• How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Discussing Race
• Color Blind or Color Brave?
• 7 Ways to Practice Active Allyship
• Justice & Civic Identity

This section contains resources for clinical practice to guide hospice and palliative care nurses as they work to incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for all in the work environment. These resources can serve as guidelines for delivering anti-racist, culturally safe, and inclusive care for the diverse populations our members serve.

• Best Practice for Demographic Data Collection & Reporting
• Inclusivity at Work: The Heart of Hard Conversations, Brené Brown with Aiko Bethea (Podcast Episode, 11/09/2020)
• Think Cultural Health
• Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
• Hospice Through the DEI Lens Research Report
• Enhancing Diversity in the Workforce
• Toolkit for Achieving Health Equity

HPNA’s Nursing Resource Guides (NRGs) are quick reference sheets offered in English and Spanish for clinicians on a variety of symptoms and topics. These on-the-go guides offer an overview of the symptoms, common causes, and interventional strategies. Access NRGs while in the field from your phone, tablet, or computer, or download and print them to have on hand.

To assist researchers, this section includes resources for the integration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in research studies. Resources will include evidence-based materials that guide the development of equity-focused designs and methods and the recruitment and retention of diverse research participants.

• Palliative Care Bypasses Black Heart Disease Patients
• National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). NIMHD plans, coordinates, reviews, evaluates and supports research on NIH minority health and health disparities.
• Addressing Racism in Palliative Care Research Starts with Listening and Community Partnerships
• The NIA Health Disparities Research Framework
• A Review of Race and Ethnicity in Hospice and Palliative Medicine Research: Representation Matters
• Just ask! Increasing Diversity in Cancer Clinical Research
• Tackling the Lack of Diversity in Cancer Research
• Cancer Research Needs People from All Backgrounds
• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Dementia Care: Next Steps
• Equity in End-of-Life Care: Unraveling Disparities Among Nursing Home Residents with Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia

• WHAT’S IN A NAME — Should Companies Drop the Term DEI?
• The Legal Landscape Around DEI is Shifting. Your Messaging Should, Too.