Greetings AMSN members and AMSN supporters!

Last month, I had the opportunity to welcome more than 100 volunteer leaders for AMSN Committees and Task Forces as part of their 2025 orientation. This fantastic group included first-time and exceptionally experienced volunteers from all across the country. We chatted about the AMSN strategic goals and our work toward being at every discussion that impacts the specialty of medical-surgical nursing. And there was the inclusion of the long list of exciting new things AMSN will be launching this year. In this message, I want to highlight that integral to our volunteer leader orientation process is the review of AMSN’s position statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity.

As you probably remember, in nursing school, cultural competence is a key component of education. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) emphasizes that cultural competence should be embedded in nursing programs through liberal education and experiential learning opportunities, such as community engagement and cultural immersion experiences [1]. This skill set allows nurses to provide care that respects patients of a wide range of values, beliefs, and needs. Culturally aware nurses can design interventions that respect cultural beliefs about illness and healing, leading to better adherence to treatment plans [2][3].

Culture Competence to DEI

After nursing school, cultural competence for care of patients transitions to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives fostering equitable treatment of nurses in the workplace, community, and in volunteer associations such as ours. The study of improving health outcomes by understanding individual patient needs becomes improving the social environment for nurses of a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. We know that patient outcomes are improved when their care providers have commonalities, so we need the environment of nursing to be inclusive to nurses of all backgrounds, races, genders, and beliefs. Without these efforts, we risk perpetuating inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized populations including our colleagues.

AMSN DEI Statement

AMSN’s prioritization of DEI will remain strong in 2025 and 2026. As stated in our position statement: AMSN remains committed to strengthening our diversity, equity, and inclusion, to ensure these are woven deeply into the fabric of our mission, goals, and the experiences we provide for our nurses. Embracing diverse perspectives leads to hearing multiple viewpoints on issues, realizing full potential of individuals, and finding innovative solutions to the very complex healthcare environment we work in.

I encourage you to review the individual goal statement on our website and reach out to let us know if there are ways the AMSN community can feel more comfortable for you.

If you find an exciting and interesting opportunity in front of you, say “yes” like the nurses who attended our orientation! Your unique view of nursing and the world is needed at the table. Let’s continue to improve the experiences of all medical-surgical nurses together.

Kristi
president@AMSN.org

Citations

[1] [PDF] Cultural Competencies for Baccalaureate Nursing Education https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/CurriculumGuidelines/Cultural-Competency-Bacc-Edu.pdf

[2] Culturally Competent Care: The Next Step Toward Health Equity https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/blog/health-care-blog/2024/culturally-competent-care-the-next-step-toward-health-equity.html

[3] The Importance Of Cultural Competence In Nursing https://www.nurses.co.uk/blog/the-importance-of-cultural-competence-in-nursing/

[4] Black Representation in the Primary Care Physician Workforce and Its Association With Population Life Expectancy and Mortality Rates in the US. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2803898

[5] Stanford FC. The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the Healthcare Workforce. J Natl Med Assoc. The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the Healthcare Workforce - PMC