Strategies to Reduce Bias and Racism in Nursing Precepted Clinical Experiences

Abstract

Background: Nursing programs are tasked with ensuring diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) learning environments for all student learners. With calls to diversify the nursing workforce, engaging nursing preceptors in program-wide DEI initiatives are crucial. Preceptors lacking commitment to DEI could result in poor patient-preceptor communication, tense learning environments, or biased evaluations of students. Method: Suggestions for successful strategies to include the preceptor in nursing program's antiracism initiatives are based on the current literature. Results: Best practices include providing antiracism training for preceptors, decreasing potential for bias in student evaluations, inquiring about observed racism in clinical sites, and equipping students to be upstanders for antiracism and DEI interventions. Conclusion: Dismantling racism and bias in nursing education requires a multilevel strategy. Nursing programs and nurse educators have a responsibility for ensuring a bias-free learning environment and should include the preceptor in antiracism strategic planning. [ J Nurs Educ . 2021;60(12):697–702.]

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