Student Name
Capella University
NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective
Prof. Name
Date
DEI and Ethics in Healthcare
The success of healthcare now depends a lot on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in shaping patients’ experiences and outcomes. The paper covers the background of DEI in healthcare, how microaggressions and unconscious bias impact it, and the best ways to handle bias. It also examines how DEI policies help patients feel better and are satisfied with their experiences, proving why it is important to be culturally aware in healthcare.
The Evolution of DEI in Healthcare
Over the years, there have been many changes in how DEI is regarded within healthcare. In the beginning, healthcare systems were built without paying attention to what different groups needed, so people got treated unequally. Being more aware of racial discrimination in healthcare has motivated the industry to become more diverse. The evolution of healthcare was also influenced by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which barred differences in federally supported programs such as healthcare (Office for Civil Rights, n.d.).
Later, programs such as the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) encouraged healthcare providers to be culturally competent (Think Cultural Health, n.d.). These standards and initiatives encourage healthcare organizations to provide care that respects each patient’s cultural health beliefs, preferred language, and communication needs.
Racial and ethnic inequities in healthcare have been further revealed in recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting federal and local agencies to address structural inequality through targeted funding and outreach. Today, DEI initiatives influence patient care by promoting inclusive environments, reducing disparities, and ensuring patients feel seen and respected (Mosley et al., 2025). These changes reflect the ongoing commitment to equitable, patient-focused treatment in a multicultural community.
Unconscious Bias and Microaggressions in Healthcare
Unconscious bias is automatic, deeply ingrained attitudes or stereotypes that influence our understanding, actions, and decisions without conscious awareness. In healthcare, these biases can lead professionals to make assumptions based on a patient’s race, gender, age, disability, or other identity markers (Taylor & Dossett, 2024). For example, assuming a Black patient exaggerates pain symptoms or that a non-English-speaking patient is less intelligent reflects unconscious bias at work.
Individuals often remain unaware of how their background, culture, or experiences shape their perceptions. These hidden biases can result in preferential treatment of patients or colleagues who resemble the provider regarding race, gender, language, or socioeconomic status. For instance, a provider may spend more time with patients they relate to culturally, inadvertently neglecting others. Because of this favoritism, patients may not get the same level of care and could miss important chances for correct diagnosis and treatment.
Unconscious bias often comes out as microaggressions, everyday comments or acts that usually show a lack of respect or notice for someone. Some examples include asking an Asian American person, “Where are you from?” and acting as though a female nurse knows less about certain things compared to a male colleague. While the person saying these comments might not feel serious, they can cause hurt or a lack of trust among patients or colleagues. Handling these biases makes it more likely that everyone will be treated with respect and valued when getting medical care (Vela et al., 2022). By reflecting and training on these issues, health care providers can better prevent microaggressions and treat all patients fairly.
Strategies for Overcoming Bias in Healthcare
Healthcare organizations have started to use programs to help staff notice and avoid biases and small slights, and this has also helped make diversity and inclusion part of daily practice in nursing and clinical work. One commonly used method is unconscious bias training, which helps doctors and nurses notice and overcome their own biases that can show up in how they treat patients (Fricke et al., 2023). Programs such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s DEI framework and the AHA’s Equity of Care initiative offer clear steps and training to help people become aware of bias, learn to be respectful and open towards different cultures, and improve how they talk and listen to patients. These initiatives have helped nurses think more deeply about their work, communicate with patients, and ensure everyone gets the same good care.
Another way to improve healthcare is to make sure doctors, nurses, and other staff come from different backgrounds and that the healthcare leaders are also from many different groups. Representation matters; diverse teams can better see and meet the various cultural and social needs of people from many groups (Mosley et al., 2025). Inclusive leadership can help push for new rules that make things fairer for everyone, make sure hiring is open to all, and set up programs to help people who might not feel included. This representation not only helps build trust and connect with patients but also helps bring in new ideas and ensures everyone feels included in healthcare. Successful implementation means nurses and staff must keep working at it, add DEI training into their classes, have regular workshops, and ensure people act inclusively in the workplace. Additionally, collecting and looking at this data type can show how things are going and help us see where changes might be needed. These strategies help make long-term improvements in how care is given and how staff work together at the hospital.
Impact of DEI on Health Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction
DEI practices in healthcare help people get better results in their health and make patients happier with the care they receive. When healthcare providers get to know and respect the cultural beliefs, practices, and likes of different groups of people, they can give care that fits each person’s needs better. For example, knowing about food rules based on religion or how people in a culture show pain can help doctors change their care to fit what matters most to their patients. The evidence shows that culturally competent care helps people follow doctors’ instructions and manage chronic illnesses better, particularly among populations not well served medically (Cipta et al., 2024).
Inclusive healthcare environments help patients feel more comfortable and safe coming in for care. When patients feel that their opinions matter, are listened to, and are treated with respect, they tend to be more willing to participate in their care. This better way of discussing patient information helps lower mistakes and helps make sure people follow their treatment plan. Studies have shown that when nurses include everyone in care, patients are more likely to be happier with the care they get (Lauwers et al., 2024). Hospitals focusing on DEI had patients who gave better ratings about their hospital experiences.
Additionally, when a workplace is inclusive, with people from different cultures and backgrounds, it becomes simpler for companies to meet the needs of all kinds of people. A diverse team in healthcare makes it easier for people to communicate and helps patients feel more at ease with their medical staff. All in all, adding diversity, equity, and inclusion to healthcare means more fairness in care, equal health status, and superior results for everyone, proving that recognizing cultural differences is important for good healthcare.
Conclusion
In conclusion, DEI initiatives help patients receive better care. As a result of DEI actions, fewer differences in healthcare exist, and doctors strive to understand different cultures. Being aware of unnecessary bias and small acts of discrimination while hiring people from various backgrounds improves trust and communication. Putting more effort into diversity, equity, and inclusion helps healthcare organizations ensure that every patient feels respected and valued, which in turn helps everyone get better, fairer care.
References
Cipta, D. A., Andoko, D., Theja, A., Utama, A. V. E., Hendrik, H., William, D. G., Reina, N., Handoko, M. T., & Lumbuun, N. (2024). Culturally sensitive patient-centered healthcare: A focus on health behavior modification in low and middle-income nations—insights from Indonesia. Frontiers in Medicine, 11(1353037). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1353037
Fricke, J., Siddique, S. M., Aysola, J., Cohen, M. E., & Mull, N. K. (2023). Healthcare worker implicit bias training and education: Rapid review. PubMed; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK600156/
NURS FPX 4000 Assignment 4 DEI and Ethics in Healthcare
Lauwers, L., Vandecasteele, R., McMahon, M., Maesschalck, S. D., & Willems, S. (2024). The patient perspective on diversity-sensitive care: A systematic review. International Journal for Equity in Health, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-024-02189-1
Mosley, T. J., Zajdel, R. A., Alderete, E., Clayton, J. A., Heidari, S., Pérez-Stable, E. J., Salt, K., & Bernard, M. A. (2025). Intersectionality and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the healthcare and scientific workforces. The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 41(100973), 100973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2024.100973
Office for Civil Rights. (n.d.). For providers of health care and social services. HHS.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/laws-regulations-guidance/index.html
Taylor, C. D., & Dossett, L. A. (2024). Recognizing unconscious bias and its impact on patient care and outcomes. In A How to Guide for Medical Students (pp. 241–249). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-66011-5_23
Think Cultural Health. (n.d.). Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in nursing. Thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov. https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/nursing/
NURS FPX 4000 Assignment 4 DEI and Ethics in Healthcare
Vela, M. B., Erondu, A. I., Smith, N. A., Peek, M. E., Woodruff, J. N., & Chin, M. H. (2022). Eliminating explicit and implicit biases in health care: Evidence and research needs. Annual Review of Public Health, 43(1), 477–501. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052620-103528