A Survey of the Literature on Social Justice in Nursing Education

Bentley Abigail^*
*Correspondence: Bentley Abigail, Department of Nursing Practices, University of California, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92521, USA, Email:

Introduction

Social justice is a fundamental aspect of nursing education that plays a critical role in the training and development of future nurses. The concept of social justice is central to nursing education because it focuses on addressing health disparities and promoting equity in healthcare delivery. This paper provides a survey of the literature on social justice in nursing education. The survey aims to highlight the importance of social justice in nursing education and to examine the current state of social justice in nursing education [1].

Description

Social justice in nursing education involves the promotion of equity, fairness, and respect for diversity in the training and education of nurses. It involves understanding the social, economic, and political factors that influence health and healthcare, and developing strategies to address health disparities and promote health equity. Social justice in nursing education also involves recognizing the role of power and privilege in healthcare and advocating for the rights of marginalized and vulnerable populations.

Social justice is important in nursing education because it promotes the development of culturally competent and socially responsible nurses. Culturally competent nurses are able to provide care that is sensitive to the diverse needs and perspectives of patients from different cultural backgrounds. Socially responsible nurses are able to recognize and address health disparities and promote health equity. The literature suggests that there is a growing recognition of the importance of social justice in nursing education. However, there are still significant challenges to achieving social justice in nursing education. One of the main challenges is the lack of diversity in nursing education. Despite efforts to increase diversity, nursing education is still dominated by White, middle-class women. This lack of diversity can lead to a narrow understanding of the social and cultural factors that influence health and healthcare [2].

Another challenge is the lack of emphasis on social justice in nursing curricula. Many nursing programs still focus on traditional biomedical approaches to healthcare, which may not adequately address the social, economic, and political factors that influence health and healthcare. There is a need for nursing curricula to include courses and experiences that promote social justice and cultural competence. The literature also suggests that there is a need for nursing education to address power imbalances and privilege in healthcare. Nurses must recognize the role of power and privilege in healthcare and advocate for the rights of marginalized and vulnerable populations. This requires a critical examination of the social, economic, and political factors that influence health and healthcare, and a commitment to social justice and health equity.

Social justice is a critical aspect of nursing education that promotes equity, fairness, and respect for diversity in healthcare. The literature suggests that there is a growing recognition of the importance of social justice in nursing education. However, there are still significant challenges to achieving social justice in nursing education, including the lack of diversity in nursing education, the lack of emphasis on social justice in nursing curricula, and the need to address power imbalances and privilege in healthcare. Addressing these challenges requires a commitment to social justice and health equity, and a willingness to critically examine the social, economic, and political factors that influence health and healthcare [3].

Increase diversity in nursing education: Efforts to increase diversity in nursing education should be continued and expanded. This includes recruiting and retaining students from diverse backgrounds, and providing support and resources to help them succeed. Incorporate social justice and cultural competence in nursing curricula: Nursing curricula should include courses and experiences that promote social justice and cultural competence. This includes courses on health disparities, social determinants of health, and cultural competence, as well as clinical experiences that expose students to diverse patient populations. Foster critical reflection and dialogue: Nursing education should encourage critical reflection and dialogue among students and faculty about the social, economic, and political factors that influence health and healthcare. This includes creating opportunities for students to engage in discussions about social justice issues and to critically examine their own biases and assumptions. Collaborate with community partners: Nursing education should collaborate with community partners to address health disparities and promote health equity. This includes partnering with community organizations to provide healthcare services to underserved populations, and working with community leaders to advocate for policies that promote health equity [4,5].

Conclusion

Social justice is a fundamental aspect of nursing education that promotes equity, fairness, and respect for diversity in healthcare. The literature suggests that there is a growing recognition of the importance of social justice in nursing education, but there are still significant challenges to achieving social justice in nursing education. Addressing these challenges requires a commitment to social justice and health equity, and a willingness to critically examine the social, economic, and political factors that influence health and healthcare. By incorporating social justice and cultural competence into nursing curricula, fostering critical reflection and dialogue, and collaborating with community partners, nursing education can promote social justice and improve healthcare outcomes for all

Acknowledgement

None.

Conflict of Interest

None.

References

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