Initial outcomes and lessons learned from implementation of an online diversity & inclusion community.

BACKGROUND: There is an opportunity to build online communities and digitize inclusive excellence such that all students, staff, and faculty can benefit. However, literature illustrating actionable strategies for creating online communities and mitigating barriers related to engagement is limited. PURPOSE: We evaluated the feasibility, functionality, and usage of a college of nursing's (CON) online diversity and inclusion communication platform (i.e., D&I Community). METHODS: From survey and college-wide discussion, we found that CON members are interested in employing opportunities for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) discussions and engaging with DEI resources, but lack of time, competing priorities, and lack of awareness of the D&I Community were barriers to participation. DISCUSSION: We are prepared to modify processes to improve engagement and promote a sense of belonging for all CON members. CONCLUSION: Implementation and sustainability of this D&I Community require continual resource investment. Scalability can be considered once processes have been fully refined.

The development of an online diversity and inclusion community: Promoting a culture of inclusion within a college of nursing.

Societal demographics are rapidly changing and driving the need to develop a culturally aware and sensitive nursing workforce. Nursing faculty are essential to transform academic and healthcare settings into culturally responsive environments. Yet, there isn't a "one size fits all" plan for faculty to foster diversity and inclusion (D&I) within academic nursing. For instance, cultural humility best practices in academia are limited as D&I interventions historically focus on cultural competency. Cultivating cultural humility exceeds developing cultural competency. Cultural humility incorporates elements of self-reflection/critique (acknowledging assumptions and beliefs), learning from others (listening and being open), and partnership-building (gaining appreciation and respect), all of which encompasses a life-long process. The purpose of this paper is to outline the development of an online D&I communication platform for a college of nursing. We present lessons learned and helpful recommendations for others promoting culturally responsive educational environments. This work is important as limited literature exists outlining the development of online communication platforms where faculty, students, and staff can foster cultural humility. Adopting cultural humility into the fabric of the college of nursing can lead to open communication, a greater understanding of one another, and an opportunity to improve relationships with diverse individuals and patient populations.