Improving Nursing Care in Long-Term Care Facilities for Older Adults by Addressing the Social Diversity of the Nursing Staff.

Abstract

Nursing education and administration at long-term care (LTC) facilities do not pay sufficient attention to the socioeconomic and cultural diversity of the nursing staff. This commentary raises specific issues, such as lack of representation of marginalized staff members in nursing leadership and training that require immediate attention. Ignoring these issues can have detrimental effects on nursing staff and patients in LTC facilities, leading to cultural misunderstandings, biases, reduction in the quality of care, and more. This commentary adds to the current Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) efforts in healthcare, and suggests specific measures for LTC workplaces, which are characterized by intersectionality and multiple marginality. The paper presents the CARE strategy for diversity, which encompasses: 1. C onfronting Inequality: Acknowledging inequality and discrimination at institutional and personal levels; 2. A dvancing Inclusive Nursing Curriculum through reform; 3. R epresenting Diversity in Nursing Leadership; and 4. E nhancing Nursing Staff Training and Mentorship Initiatives for marginalized staff members in LTC. There are many benefits to diversity in nursing leadership and training in LTC facilities. In the first place, attending to the special needs of senior adults from various backgrounds improves patient outcomes. Second, encouraging inclusive practices improves employee morale, builds a feeling of community of practice, lowers employee turnover, and eventually ensures the continuity of care by reducing employee disengagement. Third, healthcare professionals who undergo diversity and inclusion training acquire increased cultural sensitivity, which decreases prejudices and stereotypes and enhances relationships and communication with coworkers and patients. In conclusion, the CARE strategy for diversity presented here addresses these issues, offering actionable measures for nursing educators and LTC administrators. Because societies are aging and the nursing workforce is in great demand worldwide, it is necessary to establish a vision of LTC that transforms the marginality of the workforce by promoting the ethos of diversity and inclusion.