Exploring Implicit Bias Toward LGBTQIA+ People: A Faculty Development Experience

Abstract

The steady growth of diversity across the United States is indisputable. Nurses practice in various areas and frequently encounter clients from diverse cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and marginalized identities. Implicit bias is inevitable in American society, and scholars link implicit bias to various health disparities. Examining implicit bias requires an understanding of its function and the importance of self-awareness. Developing self-awareness and theoretical understanding of implicit bias does not come naturally—it must be developed. This paper details the authors' attempt to improve inclusivity and self-awareness through a faculty development experience. The experience facilitators use various active learning methods and theoretical models to provide an interactive session in a nursing school in South-Central Louisiana to bring awareness of the multiple ways implicit bias impacts LGBTQIA+ people. Faculty development experiences can impact faculty practice which is necessary for creating inclusive teaching experiences and interactions with diverse student nurses. We recommend empirical examinations of the technique and further iterations to improve inclusivity in nursing education, thus transforming the profession. The authors believe that a large chunk of nursing culture development occurs in nursing programs.