Advancing pre-licensure nursing competency for social determinants of health

Abstract

Social determinants of health (SDOH) significantly impact health outcomes and health disparities. A dedicated SDOH curriculum workgroup utilized the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials to identify and incorporate SDOH competencies into nursing curricula. Fifty-two SDOH sub-competencies from AACN Essentials were identified and categorized as either social, environmental, cultural, or policy. Pre-licensure learning activities in a didactic and clinical course were revised to integrate identified SDOH sub-competencies ensuring that students develop a foundational understanding of how social factors impact health outcomes.