Diversity Statement

A fundamental purpose of nursing is the provision of quality and equitable health care to all members, groups, and communities of society. Nursing knowledge and practice must be sufficiently broad in perspective and content to meet the requirements of a diverse, multicultural population. To this end, the University of Washington School of Nursing seeks to attract, admit/hire, and support diverse and racially representative students, staff and faculty members.

A central activity to support this diverse community is adequate preparation to interact with people from all cultures. This focus requires that nursing be responsive to, explicitly value, and incorporate a wide variety of perspectives and experiences. This open and flexible approach is based on respect for all cultures and their members, on examination of our own perspectives, biases, and socialization, and on the ability to examine and adjust our own perspectives, beliefs and behaviors.

We are committed to fostering a climate that is inclusive and welcoming of all groups. We recognize that this effort is a multi-dimensional one that includes: recruitment efforts, policies, curriculum, pedagogy, norms, practices, faculty/staff promotions, decision making, and continuing multicultural and anti-oppression education for faculty and staff members. We also recognize that nursing education and practice in the United States occurs within the social, cultural, and historical context of institutionalized racism (among other forms of oppression). Meeting our purpose thus requires a sustained and multi-dimensional effort.

We are committed to eliminating all forms of oppression resulting from socially and culturally constructed differences in race/ethnicity, sex/gender identity or orientation, socioeconomic status, language, age, physical characteristics, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, country of origin, citizenship, religious or political beliefs, military status, and others.

UW School of Nursing Principles of Inclusion

1. We affirm the inherent dignity of each individual and group.
2. We affirm that group differences are socially, culturally, and historically constructed and hierarchically arranged, resulting in the inequitable distribution of resources among groups. This construction and distribution can be changed and we commit to change it.
3. We affirm our commitment to address difference, privilege and power at the School of Nursing. We will address privilege and power using anti-racist and anti-oppression principles of on-going education, open dialogue, skill building, challenging the status quo, and accountability to people of color and other social groups.
4. We affirm our commitment to increase the numbers of faculty, students and staff from underrepresented groups, and to support their leadership within the school.
5. We affirm our commitment to work toward a climate of inclusiveness on all levels of the School of Nursing.