Primary Care Staff Education on Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health

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Achieving health equity in healthcare is a significant concern in the United States, based on the discussions in clinical and social platforms that recognize the need to address social determinants of health in the healthcare delivery system. In 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identified a nursing strategy to chart a path to achieve health equity for the population it serves. Based on this report, nursing practice, education, and policies must support nursing staff in all clinical settings to manage social determinants of health and direct interventions to screen and identify social factors affecting health equity. Major nursing programs are adopting a formal health equity curriculum to educate nurses, and practicing nurses need education on managing social determinants of health and health equity. Health care institutions are adopting health equity policy. Implementation will take time. There is a correlation between educating the nurses, addressing social determinants of health to achieve health equity, and clinical outcome measures. This presentation summarizes staff training for the primary care setting based on a needs assessment directed by the organization’s leadership and in response to the need to provide the knowledge foundation of basic concepts of health equity and social determinants of health.

Author(s):

  • Dawn Fetzko, APRN, ANP, Clinic Owner, Colorado Primary Care Clinic
  • Jacqueline A. Clements, RN, MSN, Registered Nurse, DNP Student, Colorado Primary Care Clinic