Brigit Carter, associate dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, was interviewed by David Levine for the article "Why Representation in Nursing Matters" for U.S. News & World Report. Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, and Sheldon D. Fields, inaugural associate dean for equity and inclusion at Penn State University College of Nursing, were also featured.

Excerpt

The past year has opened everyone’s eyes a lot wider to the problems of racial and social injustice. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed shocking disparities in health care, as people of color have suffered far more disability and death than other groups. In many cases, this disparity of care is based in part on lack of minority representation in health care.

A review of 16 studies of inclusion, published in 2019 in the Journal of the National Medical Association, concluded that there are positive associations between diversity, quality and financial performance. Of the 16 studies reviewed, health care-specific studies showed that "patients generally fare better when care was provided by more diverse teams. Professional skills-focused studies generally find improvements to innovation, team communications and improved risk assessment. Financial performance also improved with increased diversity. A diversity-friendly environment was often identified as a key to avoiding frictions that come with change."

Yet too many industries and businesses lack the kind of representation from minority populations that really push the envelope.