Addressing the Hidden Curriculum within Nursing Education

Background: Systemic racism and  inequity  are  embedded in higher education, especially in nursing curricula.   By disregarding health disparities and inequities, a hidden curriculum is endorsed, implicitly letting  both instructors and  students know that not addressing these subjects is acceptable. 

Method: Needs assessment were  performed to  assess  faculty and student  attitudes about the needs for  justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion  (JEDI)  concepts to be  included in the nursing curriculum.   The needs assessments clearly indicated a desire for more JEDI content to be integrated into classes. Utilizing the PDSA model of continuous planning,  implementation, and evaluation, the MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing  leadership and faculty  collaborated with their students, creating task forces  to integrate  and implement equity and anti-racism curricula  throughout the prelicensure nursing curriculum.   

Results: Anti-oppression curricula  and workshops were piloted  successfully  in the first semester of prelicensure nursing.   Student feedback  was very positive with constructive suggestions. JEDI  curriculum mapping was done across the prelicensure nursing curriculum to  indicate  areas  for  Improvement. Formalized integration of JEDI concepts into later semesters  is planned. 

Implications: There is a strong need for JEDI concepts to be integrated across nursing curricula. Forming a collaboration with students is a recommended way to  proceed, as both students and  faculty  have buy-in and accountability for change.   Continuous evaluation must be done to ensure  effectiveness and longevity. Buy-in from faculty and leadership is essential to the implementation and sustainability of JEDI programming.  

Kaveri Roy
DNP, RN, CHPN
Distinguished Teaching Assistant Professor
TEAL Fellow
Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions

Biography

Kaveri Roy, DNP, RN, Distinguished Teaching Assistant Professor, joined the School of Nursing faculty as Assistant Professor in August 2015. She has acute care, management, education, and community health experience in the areas of emergency nursing and hospice and palliative nursing. In 2014, Dr. Roy earned her DNP in Public Health Nurse Leader track at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her capstone was a pilot program entitled, "The COPD Palliation Project: Treating Dyspnea in End-Stage COPD Patients."

At the MGH Institute, Dr. Roy currently teaches first semester Pathophysiology to all prelicensure students. She has taught Medical/surgical Nursing, Health Assessment, and Community Health nursing. Dr. Roy is a also a Scholarly Project advisor in the areas of hospice and palliative care, public health, and social justice. She is the First Semester Track coordinator. Dr. Roy is on the School of Nursing Search Committee and is Chair-Elect of the School of Nursing Policy Committee. She is also in the Faculty Senate, on the CCRC. In 2021, Dr. Roy received the Nancy T. Watts award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. Roy's areas of research are palliative care and social justice in education. Dr. Roy is a TEAL Fellow and a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, the American Nurses Association, and the American Public Health Association (APHA). She has served on two local boards- Healthy Waltham, as Vice-President, and the Boston Area Gleaners, as Treasurer. She has also served on Massachusetts Department of Health committees on palliative care and cancer survivorship.

Phone: 617-643-3928
Email: kroy6@mghihp.edu

Co-Author(s):
Karen L. Hunt, MSN, RN, RD, CNE - Instructor
Kanayo Sakai, MEd, RN - (MSN Student)
Kyle Fletcher, MPH, RN - (MSN Student)