Leveraging Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to Build Nursing's More Inclusive Future (71H)

There is growing evidence that nurses have not seen meaningful change because of their employer's diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) programs. At the same time, efforts are increasing to end DEIB programs and education in academic and work settings. These dynamics present myriad challenges negatively impacting any efforts to course correct and progress to build a diverse, inclusive and pluralistic future. It is critical to urgently address these headwinds and challenges since there is evidence that discriminatory and racist acts germinate in schools of nursing. Almost half (44%) of nurses recently surveyed stated that a culture of racism in nursing schools exists, 60% of Black/African American respondents reported racism/discrimination and nearly 80% believed that more DEIB training was needed. The lack of diversity and inclusion in nursing conflicts squarely with an increasingly diverse and globalized healthcare consumer base. The overall goal of this presentation is to share with healthcare leaders how to leverage a well-embraced framework such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to generate more awareness, understanding and acceptance of DEIB principles, which sets up a positive future for everyone. Aligning Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and DEIB helps leaders recognize the human needs in everyone and apply Maslow's theory to all, therefore increasing inclusiveness.