A growing awareness of issues surrounding diversity, equity and inclusivity is reflected in the Emergency Nursing 2021 – A Virtual Xperience program with DEI tracks on COVID-19, forensics, clinical knowledge and communication.
“Sometimes what we do is inadvertently biased,” said Emergency Nursing Conference Education Planning Committee Co-Chairperson Rachael Smith. “Being aware will help us change that.”
DEI education is a priority for conference planners, but it’s also an in-demand topic within the emergency nursing community. Planning Committee Co-Chairperson Teresa Dodge said EN21 has a record number of DEI sessions on the schedule to match the swell of DEI submissions by presenters.
“Submissions drive the program,” Dodge explained.
Dodge and Smith are looking forward to the On-Demand DEI session “Racial Bias in Healthcare Algorithms: Risk Matrices, Vital Signs and Lab Values.”
“We are all aware health care is racist. These are practical things as a bedside nurse we can do to change,” said Dodge, who also recommends the livestream session “In Search of a Promised Land: A Nurse’s View on Race, Racism and Our Future Together.”
A summary of DEI sessions appears below. All times are Central time and are subject to change as conference planners finalize EN21 schedules. Sessions marked as “ON DEMAND” will be available on the virtual meeting platform once the conference begins. Recordings of live sessions will be available for on-demand viewing through Jan. 31.
Color-Me Unbiased: Resolving Racial Inequality in Healthcare
11-11:45 a.m. on Sept. 23
Cheryl Randolph, an ENA Board member and ED nurse at San Francisco General Hospital, will identify modern-day racial inequities in health care, address the history that contributes to their existence and suggest solutions for the future.
In Search of a Promised Land: A Nurse’s View on Race, Racism and Our Future Together
2:45-3:30 p.m. on Sept. 23, LIVE STREAM
Sophia Henry, a shift coordinator at Johns Hopkins Hospital, will provide a first-person perspective on systemic racism in the U.S. health care system and how it affects patients and nurses of color.
Health Disparities of Pediatric Road Injuries: Who’s at Greatest Risk?
1-1:30 p.m. on Sept. 24, LIVE STREAM
Erin Zazzera, a clinical assistant professor at Stony Brook School of Nursing, will provide data on racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in pediatric motor vehicle injury and mortality rates, as well as pedestrian and bicyclist injuries.
At-Risk and Vulnerable Populations During COVID-19 Pandemic, What Nurses Need to Know
ON DEMAND
Children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, victims of violence and people of color are at heightened risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. A live expert panel will discuss how outbreak containment measures affect these vulnerable groups and how to address their increased risk of infection. Meredith Scannell, a staff nurse at Mass General Brigham in Boston, will be joined by speakers Stacy Collins, a staff nurse at nearby Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Kristine Ruggiero, founder of the Boston Nursing Institute; and Ericha Schlehuber, a staff nurse in Brigham and Women’s burn/trauma unit.
Addressing Adultification of Black Pediatric Patients in the Emergency Department: A Framework to Decrease Disparities
ON DEMAND
Amie Koch, an assistant professor and nurse practitioner at Duke University School of Nursing, will discuss strategies for addressing disparities in the care of Black children in the ED.
Bringing Diversity to the Chart: Inclusive Documentation in the ED
ON DEMAND
Justin Milici, clinical editor at Elsevier Clinical Solutions and lead editor for ENA’s “LGBTQ Toolkit for Emergency Care Settings,” will discuss documentation that balances serving a diverse population and meeting legal considerations. The session will address inclusiveness regarding LGBTQ and ethnicity.
Equity and Health Justice in the ED
ON DEMAND
Education Planning Committee members Anna Valdez and Hershaw Davis Jr. will outline equity and health justice concerns experienced in the ED.
Words matter: Using and Promoting Inclusive and Unbiased Language
ON DEMAND
Education Planning Committee member Anna Valdez will discuss how word choice can communicate inclusivity or bias.
Racial Bias in Healthcare Algorithms: Risk Matrices, Vital Signs and Lab Values
ON DEMAND
Nyssa Hattaway, a flight nurse with Air Methods, will explain the implications race and skin tone have on clinical decisions. She will discuss the ways algorithms, risk matrices, lab values and vital signs can be biased toward people of color.