Ethical implications of implicit bias in nursing education

Abstract

Nurses possess the responsibility of promoting equality and diversity by treating all patients, families, and colleagues with respect and dignity. This responsibility includes providing culturally informed care and practicing within the ethical principles of autonomy, justice, beneficence, veracity, and nonmaleficence. Implicit biases impact nursing education and subsequent interactions between student nurses and patients and hinder effective communication. Patients who have experienced implicit bias in health care may come to expect negative interactions in the future. Nurse educators hold the responsibility of preparing nursing students to deliver care to diverse populations by guiding them to recognize their responses to cultural differences. Awareness of students’ implicit biases is the first step in incorporating efforts to overcome them. A gap exists in nursing education which illustrates the lack of inclusion of implicit bias in the curriculum. The purpose of this paper is to examine the ethical implications of implicit bias in nursing education. Ethical principles are presented and discussed in the context of implicit bias and nursing education. Recommendations for incorporating strategies of identification and awareness of implicit bias into the nursing curriculum are discussed. The inclusion of the implications of implicit bias in the nursing curriculum provides opportunities for educators to direct students to develop plans to recognize the damaging effects of implicit bias and become aware of behaviors that become barriers to patient interactions. The results of this education include improved patient outcomes and the delivery of culturally appropriate care.