unity in:

Strengthening culturally sensitive acute care

FACULTY MEMBERS

Roxana Chicas 16BSN 20PhD, assistant research professor, and Carrie McDermott, PhD, APRN, ACNS-BC, assistant professor

PARTNERS/COMMUNITY

Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition, Boat People SOS, and Latino Community Fund Georgia

The School of Nursing has integrated the social determinants (SDOH) of health into its courses. The next step is to teach students how to address these factors in clinical practice. The place to begin: hands-on learning in the school’s clinical skills and simulation labs and working with community partners.

Nurses today must know how to deliver high-quality patient care within the context of a patient’s cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender identity.

A new program, Toward Health Equity and Literacy: Training for Optimal RN Efficacy in Acute Care (2HEAL), will ensure that Emory undergraduate nursing students are prepared to address these factors.

2HEAL will expand how students address SDOH in clinical training and deepen their insight into health equity and health literacy for underserved populations in metro Atlanta.

Beginning this fall, BSN students will take part in simulations with manikins and standardized patients at the Emory Nursing Learning Center. They will also learn about SDOH by interacting with three community partners: Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition, Boat People SOS, and Latino Community Fund Georgia. Through these partnerships, students will see how SDOH affect diverse populations and how community organizations improve health literacy and equity.

The faculty leading 2HEAL will also create web-based learning modules for clinical instructors and preceptors through the Emory Nursing Experience continuing education program.

2Heal is funded by a grant from the Health Services and Resources Administration. — Pam Auchmutey

Students and faculty provided blood pressure and diabetes screenings at a festival sponsored by Latino Community Fund Georgia,