Nursing Education: The Intersection of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Healthcare Informatics

nursing instructor and student at computer

Written by:
Lindsey Baertlein, MSN, RNC-MNN, CNE
Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas Little Rock

Josy Nduku, DNP, RN, CNE
Online RN-to-BSN Program Coordinator/Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas Little Rock

Published: May 2022

A knowledge gap exists with incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) concepts into healthcare informatics in nursing curricula. The 2021 AACN The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education describes the informatics and healthcare technologies domain as a source for nurses to responsibly advocate for equitable access to healthcare. As nurse educators teaching in a completion program, how do we incorporate these concepts within the curriculum and assess students’ attainment of the learning outcomes? Our presentation will focus on students’ understanding of the importance of having diverse, equitable, and inclusive information and communication tools to deliver safe nursing care to patients, communities, and populations.

nursing instructor and student at digital whiteboard

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Nursing recognizes the importance of DEI integration into their associate and baccalaureate curricula to bridge the knowledge gap. The presentation, which can be viewed at the Nursing Education Accreditation Conference, will discuss students’ perceptions and demonstrate a student-driven informatics project that examines the diverse, equitable, and inclusive nature of a health application/system/device/software to provide safe nursing care. An Integrated Practice Project (IPP) model serves as an educational resource for modeling DEI healthcare informatics projects efficiently within various curricula. The model will include QSEN-based student learning outcomes, a template for student IPP development, and an example of a completed IPP.

This virtual poster presentation is ideal for the nurse educator that is new to accreditation because it includes the process of student/programmatic outcomes analysis to inform curriculum change. Nurse administrators from an academic setting who are competent or expert in accreditation could also benefit from this presentation since they also serve as role models or resources for their faculty.

Author Information

Lindsey Baertlein, MSN, RNC-MNN, CNE, is titled as Assistant Professor for the online RN-to-BSN program at University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Nursing. With 17 years in the nursing profession, Baertlein’s background is in women’s health and nurse education. She holds certifications from the National Certification Corporation in maternal-newborn nursing and from the National League of Nursing as a certified nurse educator. As a women’s health nurse, she served for 14 years in units for labor and delivery, postpartum, term nursery, neonatal intensive care, women’s surgery, and clinical nursing. Her love of academia began as a clinical adjunct in 2015, and she transitioned to full-time in nursing academia in 2019. Baertlein is a member of several state and national organizations, including the National League for Nursing, the Arkansas Nurses’ Association, and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses. She serves on multiple committees within the governing organization, including the School of Nursing Professional Conduct Council, the Research Committee, the Assessment Committee, the Honors and Awards Committee (co-chair), and the Academic Calendar Committee. She serves as a founding member of the Chancellor’s Racial Barriers Committee and the Ad Hoc Ukrainian Humanitarian Committee. Community service includes participation in local public school immunization clinics and vaccine clinics at the university. She also volunteers for the city of Bryant in the Keep Bryant Beautiful initiative. Baertlein earned her BSN (2010) and ADN (2005) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, her MSNEd (2020) from Chamberlain University, and is a PhD candidate enrolled in the nursing education and administration program at William Carey University (anticipated graduation 2023). Beartlain can be reached at [email protected].

Josy Nduku, DNP, RN, CNE, serves as the Program Coordinator/Assistant Professor for the online RN-to-BSN program at University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Nursing. She has served in that capacity since Spring 2020. With close to 15 years in the nursing profession, Dr. Nduku has a background in clinical nursing and academia. Dr. Nduku’s area of clinical practice focused on adult cardiovascular nursing, where she cared for clients with acute and chronic cardiac conditions. She has 10 years of experience in nursing education, teaching in baccalaureate and associate degree programs. Dr. Nduku is also a member of several international, national, and state organizations, including the Kappa Rho Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, the American Nurses Association, the Organization of Associate Degree Nursing, the National League of Nursing, and the Arkansas Nurses’ Association. She serves on several committees within the governing organization such as the School of Nursing Assessment Committee, the Research Committee, the Professional Conduct Council (co-chair), the Institutional Review Board, and the Online Campus Advisory Board. Dr. Nduku has also volunteered for the ACEN, reviewing the 2017 ACEN Standards and Criteria for their update due in 2023. Dr. Nduku continues to be an active community member by participating in immunization drives. Dr. Nduku earned a BSN (2007) with a minor in interdisciplinary studies from University of Central Arkansas, a MSN with concentrations in nursing education and clinical nurse specialist in community/public health nursing (2011) from University of Central Arkansas (UCA), and a DNP (2019) also from UCA. Nduku can be reached at [email protected].