Project Description
Industries across all health professions lack diversity, and the traditional structure of higher education and clinical practice further perpetuates deficiencies in cultural appreciation and understanding of social, political, and institutional structures in place to oppress marginalized people, cultures, values, and beliefs. Project SHARE (SHaring Strategies for Health Professional Faculty and Student REcruitment) aims to launch a campus-wide collaboration for the graduate health professional degree programs established at Vanderbilt University (VU). Intentional and strategic recruitment and support for diversifying health professional careers would advance Vanderbilt's reputation as a leading global institution.
Project Goals/Outcomes
The campus-wide collaborative will provide a platform for representatives from health professional schools and academic programs to share strategies used and learn best practices to recruit faculty and students from underrepresented ethnic and racial minorities and underserved populations.
The campus-wide collaboration with a hybrid participation structure will occur over eight months. During the 2-year initiative, schools/academic programs will voluntarily participate in the collaborative to engage in monthly learning sessions/discussions and pilot test the launch of at least one new recruitment or retention strategy. Project SHARE program facilitators will coordinate with experts to attend the monthly collaborative sessions to discuss best practices and the impact of diversity and inclusion related to VU, healthcare, and society.
Members
LeTizia Smith
DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
LeTizia Smith, DNP, PMHNP-BC is an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She teaches in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program and has been a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner for over thirteen years, specializing in community mental health with the severely and persistently mentally ill. Dr. Smith has chaired the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at VUSN in the past and is currently a mentor for students in the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program. The purpose of this fellowship program is to support minority nursing doctoral students in research and leadership development.
Dr. Smith has conducted research on improving healthy work environments in academic and clinical settings, as well as diversity and inclusion efforts in nursing. She was a Bill Gates Scholar and completed the American Nurses Association's Minority Fellowship Program. In addition to mentoring students in the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program, Dr. Smith also serves as a mentor to masters and doctoral students through the American Nurses Association's Minority Fellowship Program.
Julia Steed
PhD, APRN, FNP-BC
Julia M. Steed, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, CTTS is an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, TN, where she also serves as the Specialty Coordinator for the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. Dr. Steed's educational background includes a PhD in Nursing Science with a focus on Health Services Research, a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in Family Nurse Practitioner, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has worked in a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient clinical settings and currently practices in an outpatient internal medicine clinic.
With a special interest in inclusive excellence, leadership, curriculum design, and program evaluation, Dr. Steed has received several professional teaching fellowships, including the Junior Faculty Teaching Fellowship at Vanderbilt University and the Faculty Leadership Mentoring Program through the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Steed has also participated in several professional affiliations, academic appointments, and committees, including serving as the Chair of the VUSN Diversity and Inclusion Committee, a member of the VUSN Faculty Development Advisory Committee, and a faculty co-advisor for the VUSN Black Student Nurses Affinity Group. She has also acquired experiential skills in a variety of areas, including project management, data analysis, peer and student mentorship, academic and technical writing, statistical analysis, electronic storage systems, media communications, and marketing tools.
Contact Information
Dr. Smith and Dr. Steed - ProjectSHARE@vanderbilt.edu
Experts:
- Roosevelt Noble
- Ruth Kleinpell
- Mercy Mumba
Schedule of Collaborative Sessions
These topic areas will provide participating schools and academic programs with a comprehensive understanding of the importance of diversity in healthcare, as well as effective strategies for recruiting and retaining faculty and students from diverse backgrounds.
| Month | Title | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| September 2023 | Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Health Professions Education | Understanding the impact of diversity on healthcare and health outcomes |
| October 2023 | Understanding the Impact of Bias in Health Professions Education and Clinical Practice Implicit Bias Training for Health Professions Educators and Clinical Practitioners | Understanding the impact of diversity on healthcare and health outcomes |
| November 2023 | Best Practices in Recruiting and Retaining Underrepresented Minority Students and Faculty | Recruitment and retention strategies for faculty and students from underrepresented ethnic and racial minority groups and underserved populations |
| December 2023 | Cultural Competence and Humility in Health Professions Education and Clinical Practice Culturally Sensitive Communication Skills | Effective communication strategies for promoting diversity and inclusion in the classroom and clinical settings |
| January 2023 | Intersectionality and Health Disparities | Addressing cultural biases and stereotypes in healthcare |
| February 2023 | Addressing Systemic Barriers to Diversity and Inclusion in Health Professions Education and Clinical Practice Community Engagement and Partnership Development to Promote Diversity in Health Professions Education and Clinical Practice | Evidence-based strategies for promoting diversity in health professional education |
| March 2023 | Strategies for Developing Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environments Innovations in Curriculum Development and Evaluation to Promote DEI | Assessment of progress and implementation of new strategies |
| April 2023 | Sustainability and Long-Term Implementation of DEI Initiatives in Health Professions Education and Clinical Practice | Lessons learned and future directions |
Resources and Publications
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). Diversity Tool Kit.
Campinha-Bacote, J. (2019). The process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services: A model of care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 30(2), 109-117. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659618760476
FitzGerald, C., & Hurst, S. (2017). Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: A systematic review. BMC Medical Ethics, 18(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-017-0179-8
Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). Learning and Improvement Communities. Retrieved from http://www.ihi.org/Engage/Initiatives/Learning-and-Improvement-Communities/Pages/default.aspx
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25982
National League for Nursing. (2017). Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit.
Project SHARE. (n.d.). Advancing diversity in clinical and academic health professions. Vanderbilt University. Retrieved from https://www.nursing.vanderbilt.edu/share/advancing-diversity-in-clinical-and-academic-health-professions.php
Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce. (2004). Missing persons: Minorities in the health professions, a report of the Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce. Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/SullivanReport.pdf