Inclusion Equals Innovation: How Our Diverse Workforce Offers Better Care

Inclusion Equals Innovation: How Our Diverse Workforce Offers Better Care

The VA knows that inclusion equals innovation. By ensuring that every Veteran receives care that matters to them and their whole health, VA providers and staff get to know each Veteran personally to provide better care tailored to the patient’s health and wellness goals.

All Veterans are different, and health care is not one-size-fits-all. However, diversity in VA personnel helps bridge the gap in health care disparities, an attitude adopted at the very top of their organization.

And the more diverse the VA workforce, the more tremendous success they’ll shareAnd the more diverse the VA workforce, the more tremendous success they’ll share

“To ensure a welcoming environment for Veterans, we must foster fair and inclusive VA workplaces where the experiences and perspectives of our diverse employees are valued,” says VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “The success of our mission depends on everyone being able to contribute their expertise, experience, talents, ideas, and perspectives.”

Investing in Inclusion

The Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) plays a significant role in developing VA’s diverse workforce.

Healthcare professionals just starting in their careers can take advantage of health professions training and scholarship programs designed to increase job opportunities at VA for racial and ethnic minorities, improving healthcare experiences and outcomes for these groups.

OAA manages affiliations with more than 1,800 unique colleges and universities, including nearly 200 minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Approximately 20,000 health professions trainees from MSIs come to VA each year.

Additionally, the Veterans Healing Veterans Medical Access & Scholarship Program provides full scholarships to 12 Veteran medical students at Teague-Cranston Act and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in exchange for a four-year service obligation at VA.

Inclusion Leads to Innovation

The VA’s academic affiliations put them in a unique position to mentor and fund researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds who are motivated to make a difference in their communities, broadening career opportunities for those seeking to join the VA’s team.

Additionally, the VA recognizes that scientists and trainees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity, and individual enterprise to address complex health-related problems. So the VA has developed funding opportunities in mentored research for junior VA investigators from underrepresented backgrounds. These research supplements pair early-career investigators with established VA researchers.

The supplements, supported by the VA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD), have led to research into virtual reality technology to help Veterans with mild cognitive impairment and repurposing existing drugs to treat substance use disorder, among others.

The Road Ahead

Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion among the VA staff is an ongoing effort and a challenge that will continue in the future. As the VA celebrates its successes, they look ahead to further efforts that support and recruit a diverse workforce.

By integrating best practices into all the VA does to expand access to world-class healthcare services and to improve policies and procedures to reflect the diversity of those they serve, the VA continues to strengthen its efforts toward a safe and respectful workplace and healthcare environment.

Serving the most diverse group of Veterans in history, the VA reaffirms its commitment to hiring staff that reflects that diversity, ensuring that VA employees feel supported and providing equitable healthcare access for all.

Alessandra Chung, RN, BSN, Wins the 2022 Pure Foundation Fund

Alessandra Chung, RN, BSN, Wins the 2022 Pure Foundation Fund

For the second year in North America, WaterWipes has awarded a Pure Foundation Fund, which awards the department of the winning healthcare provider $9,000, as well as a 6-month supply of WaterWipes.

According to a statement from WaterWipes, the Pure Foundation Fund “recognizes the outstanding work of healthcare heroes who have made a difference in the lives of parents and babies in their pregnancy, birth, and postnatal journey.

Out of the 266 healthcare providers nominated, Alessandra Chung, a nurse for the Southcentral Foundation as a home-visiting nurse with the Nutaqusiivik program (part of the Nurse Family Partnership) in Anchorage, Alaska, won. She and the program serve Alaska Native and American Indian families living in Anchorage and the surrounding communities. In addition to an award plaque, Chung receives a $100 Visa gift card and flowers.

Chung took time to answer Daily Nurse’s questions about being this year’s award winner and how the money and wipes will help her work.

What did it feel like when you learned you won the WaterWipes Pure Foundation Award? Did you expect it?

It was a complete surprise; I had no idea my coworker, Sarah Swanland had nominated me! I was finishing my maternity leave, so it was terrific news to share with my colleagues once I returned to work. After learning more about this incredible program, I felt excited and honored to be selected.

I’m incredibly grateful and honored to be recognized by the Pure Foundation Fund. I love the team of nurses I work with and hold them in such high regard. I think any of them could have been the winner, so I am honored that Sarah thought of me.

What type of work do you do? How long have you been doing it? For what community? Why do you enjoy it?

I have been a nurse for 15 years and have been a part of Southcentral Foundation’s Nutaqsiivik Nurse Family Partnership for the last four. The Nutaqusiivik program is a voluntary nurse home-visiting program working with Alaska Native and American Indian families from pregnancy until the child is two-years-old.

The program’s overall goals are to improve pregnancy outcomes and child health and development. Still, what I love most is uncovering each mom’s heart’s desire for their children and encouraging them to become the parents they want to be. Of course, every new mom’s situation and needs are unique, so we never want them to feel pressured to approach the program in a specific way

My position is the perfect mix between maternal health nursing and psychosocial nursing. I love how holistic my role is and advocating for my patients while teaching them how to advocate for themselves and their families.

Winning $9,000 for your department, plus a six-month supply of WaterWipes, is amazing. But do you know yet how the Southcentral Foundation’s Nutaqsiivik Nurse Family Partnership will use the money?

We’re still discussing where the funds will be used to support the moms and babies in our community. This will positively impact the families we serve by allowing us to continue advocating for and empowering moms on their journeys to be the parents they want to be.

How do you make a difference in the communities you serve? What are the biggest challenges in the communities?

Every mom is different, and every situation is unique. Just being there for each mom, meeting them where they are in their journeys, and encouraging them to be the parents they want to be is how we make a difference every day in our community. When moms are supported and empowered, they are, in turn, able to support and empower their children, and that is where generational growth and change can happen. So it’s long-term change and prevention that is our goal.

What are the most significant rewards you experience by working with the people you serve?

First, serving the Alaska Native/American Indian community is an honor. I love to be able to come alongside and partner with families on their journeys. It is always a privilege to be invited into a family’s home and trusted with their stories and dreams. I’ve encountered all sorts of challenges new and expecting mothers face, and through it all, it’s always worthwhile to see them understand that they can do this.

And even when things don’t turn out as we hope, I am honored to support them through maybe that grief and loss too. At the end of the program, we host a graduation ceremony where the moms are given a chance to celebrate their growth and achievements alongside their children, and the smiles and gratitude I receive are their rewards.

What was your favorite part about this whole experience? Why are you proud of the work you do?   

There were many great things about this experience, the first being that Sarah called me and told me she nominated me, and I won. I remember being in the parking lot of my PT’s office feeling torn about leaving my baby to go back to work, and it was so encouraging for her to tell me this.

My second favorite part was making the video; one of the moms I worked with was willing to participate. That was special. I’m proud of my work because it’s what holistic nursing is all about–truly meeting the patient where they are and educating and advocating for what they want for themselves and their families.

Being a nurse in Alaska, working with the Alaska Native population is the best. I wouldn’t want to be a nurse anywhere else.

How Nurses Can Improve Women’s Healthcare

How Nurses Can Improve Women’s Healthcare

As modern healthcare workers, today’s nurses have to wear many hats. However, the top priority remains the same — supporting the health and safety of their patients. There’s no question that healthcare technology has come a long way in recent years, advancing the industry and helping millions of people. However, there is still a lack of understanding when it comes to women’s health.

Nurses can help bridge that gap and improve women’s healthcare nationwide.

Nurses can provide healthcare services to women in need and help spread awareness of critical issues, educate others, and help women make more informed decisions about their bodies. It’s a fantastic way to empower today’s women and ensure they get the healthcare they deserve without worrying about any disparities in medical treatment due to gender.

Let’s look closely at how nurses can improve women’s healthcare and why it’s so important.

Offering More Services 

Telehealth isn’t necessarily anything new. During and post-pandemic, though, telehealth saw a rapid rise in popularity. Now, more practitioners and patients alike are utilizing it, thanks to benefits like:

  • Decreased infection exposure
  • Improved patient scheduling
  • Improved collaboration
  • Better capacity management

It’s also an excellent option for patients who might live in underserved areas or those without the means to get to a medical office. So not only is telehealth beneficial for patients, but it also allows nurses to offer their services and expertise to those who aren’t comfortable visiting a doctor in person. That can be especially helpful for women who have had negative medical experiences or even those who struggle with medical anxiety.

Sometimes, even talking to someone via telehealth can help eliminate that medical fear and make patients comfortable enough to come in. That can be highly beneficial if they have a condition or symptoms that require an in-person visit. In addition, you never know what a caring attitude and kind tone via video call can do to change someone’s opinion about getting medical treatment.

Spreading Awareness

Nurses should be at the frontlines when fighting for health equity for women and other marginalized groups. As a nurse, your goal should be to improve global health, but you should be focused on the key medical issues affecting women in your backyard. Because so many women face societal inequities, they’re more likely to develop health issues. Some of the most prominent health issues impacting women across the world include:

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Diabetes
  • Breast cancer
  • Osteoporosis

Maternal health issues and sexual health problems are also largely ignored when it comes to the well-being of women.

Nurses can raise awareness on a local, national, and global scale by encouraging women to familiarize themselves with specific symptoms and helping them understand what’s considered normal. They can recommend necessary screenings, offer support, and promote healthy living.

Even if you think you need more time to spread awareness to a larger audience, you can do plenty to help each female patient you work with, starting with educating them.

Providing Education

Far too many women don’t make positive decisions about their health or bodies because they’ve either been misinformed or haven’t been given enough information about how to care for themselves or look out for signs of illness.

One of women’s most significant problems regarding health education is dealing with myths. It can be challenging to separate the truth from what they might have heard from a friend, family member, or even something online.

For example, there are many myths surrounding vaginas and how they work. Just because a woman is born with one doesn’t automatically mean she knows everything about it. Unfortunately, this lack of education can increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, yeast infections, and more.

Dispelling some of those women’s health myths and misinformation can help empower women regarding their bodies. Teaching women how to care for themselves and their specific body parts properly will go a long way in preventing diseases and improving their quality of life.

Nurses should be well-equipped to educate their female patients. Nurses often serve as the first point of contact in a doctor’s office or hospital. If you have the opportunity to do a patient interview, show compassion as you go through their medical history and learn about their health concerns. Part of education includes speaking with confidence and experience but not with judgment. The last thing a woman wants is to feel ashamed or embarrassed about her condition or lack of knowledge.

Many things need to change in the medical industry to improve women’s healthcare. However, don’t let that overwhelm you or lead you to believe that you can’t do your part and make a difference. Nurses can change the face of women’s healthcare for a brighter, healthier tomorrow.

Volunteering with Mercy Ships

Volunteering with Mercy Ships

Prior to finding out about Mercy Ships, Christel A. Echu, RN, admits that if you asked her if she wanted to volunteer for any organization and not get paid, she would have said, “No.”

But when a friend who was an authority in the church she attended in Cameroon, Africa, she changed her mind. “I decided to volunteer with Mercy Ships because I was interested in being a part of the great work they were doing for the people of my country, and I wanted to help in any way that I could,” Echu says.

Mercy Ships Bring Hope and Healing

Mercy Ships is a non-profit Christian organization, she says, that sails across West and Central Africa with the mission and vision to provide hope and healing to patients who are poor and/or forgotten in countries there.

When Echu began volunteering with Mercy Ships, she had just graduated from nursing school. First, she worked as a volunteer translator when the ship, the Africa Mercy, was docked in the port of Cameron. She volunteered as a translator for 10 months.

Mercy Ships bring hope and healing

Mercy Ships bring hope and healing

By then, Echo says, she was hooked. She ended up continuing to volunteer for another two years. “I transitioned from that [working as a translator] to working as a volunteer screening nurse until the end of my commitment,” she says. “Screening nurses, we see all the patients before they are seen by the rest of the hospital. We screen, assess, and ensure patients are healthy enough for surgery.”

She says that they pre-screened more than 6,000 patients in a day when they were in Guinea Conakry. “That was the longest shift I have ever had,” she says.

One of the aspects that Echu loved about Mercy Ships is that she got to work with nurses from all over the world: including the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, the United States, and others.

“I loved working with patients and with my team. We also worked alongside our wonderful translators, which was a blessing because they helped to facilitate communication between the patients and nurses,” she recalls. “I think I enjoyed the fact that we could learn from each other to provide the best care to the patients we served. I enjoyed seeing the joy the patients felt whenever we announced to them that they were getting surgery. “The dance of joy” was a thing in the screening tent and I enjoyed seeing the patients come back to show us their “new self” without the tumor or the deformity. Moments like that, reminded me why I decided to volunteer in the first place and kept me going on difficult days.”

Biggest Challenges

There were tough days. Echu says that one of her biggest challenges while working with Mercy Ships was being away from her family, home, and community. But another difficult part was when she had to say “No” to people they couldn’t help.

“This is a part of my job that we don`t talk much about. The ship has specific surgeries they do when they sail in a nation. However, there are patients who present with conditions that are not within Mercy Ships scope of practice and that`s when we get to do ‘no’ conversations. Screening nurses initiate that conversation before the chaplaincy team on the ship takes over,” she says. “That was the most challenging thing about my job—having those ‘no’ conversations was never an easy thing to do. Most of the patients we see come with the hope of being helped, but when we have to say no to them, it almost feels like that hope crumbles before their very eyes.”

Greatest Reward

She also, though, had many rewards—the greatest of which was forming relationships with the ship’s community.  “The relationships I built during that time, [ones] that become an integral part of my life. The community is really special. Now, I have friends all over the world,” says Echu, who now lives in Minnesota. “I do not have family here in the United States, but I know friends with whom I worked with on the ship, [and they] are my family while I am here.”

Echu says she will never forget “the amazing patients I got to work with and their families and the joy they always had on their faces even without having much.”

If you’re a nurse thinking about volunteering with Mercy Ships, she says, “Do it! Go and see for yourself. Have an open mind and be ready to learn and receive as well,” she says. “Most volunteers go on the ship with the mindset of giving and serving which is good, but also go with the mindset of receiving. Receiving could be anything—like being welcome in the house of a local, or being encouraged by a patient who doesn`t have much, but they still have a big smile on their faces. It’s an experience that would change your life completely for good.”

Melanoma in People of Color: What’s the Risk—and Will Sunscreen Help? A Black Dermatologist Explains

Melanoma in People of Color: What’s the Risk—and Will Sunscreen Help? A Black Dermatologist Explains

Melanoma is a potentially deadly form of skin cancer that effects people of every racial and ethnic group. The risk factor most closely linked to developing melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet, or UV, rays from the sun. In fact, sunburns have been associated with doubling one’s risk of melanoma.

Sunscreen can block UV rays and therefore reduce the risk of sunburns, which ultimately may reduce the risk of developing melanoma. Thus, the promotion of sunscreen as an effective melanoma prevention strategy is a reasonable public health message.

But while this may be true for light-skinned people, such as individuals of European descent, this is not the case for darker-skinned people, such as individuals of African or Asian descent.

The public health messages promoted by many clinicians and public health groups regarding sunscreen recommendations for dark-skinned people is not supported by the available evidence. Media messaging exacerbates the problem with headline after headline warning that Black people can also develop melanoma and that Black people are not immune.

To be sure, they can get melanoma, but the risk is very low. In the same way, men can develop breast cancer, however, we do not promote mammography as a strategy to fight breast cancer in men.

This message is important to me as a Black board-certified dermatologist and health services researcher at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, where I am director of the pigmented lesion clinic. In this capacity I take care of patients at high risk for melanoma.

Melanoma in Black people is not associated with UV exposure

In the U.S., melanoma is 30 times more common among white people than Black people.

In Black people, melanoma usually develops in parts of the body that are not exposed to the sun, such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. These cancers are called “acral melanomas,” and sunscreen will do nothing to reduce the risk of these cancers.

When was the last time you had a sunburn on the palms or soles? Even among white people, there is no relationship between sun exposure and the risk of acral melanomas. Famously, Bob Marley died from an acral melanoma on his big toe, but sunscreen would not have helped.

Last year my research group conducted a systematic review in which we analyzed all of the published medical literature related to UV exposure and melanoma in people of color. This includes those of African, Asian, Pacific Islander, Indigenous and Hispanic descent. Of the 13 studies that met our criteria for inclusion, 11 showed no association between UV exposure and melanoma.

Among the two studies that showed an association, one study showed a positive association between melanoma and UV exposure in Black men. But that same study also examined UV exposure and melanoma in other groups, including Black women, white men and women and Hispanic men and women. In these other groups the researchers found no association between UV exposure and melanoma. This is a surprising result, given that white people are the group in which the association between UV exposure and melanoma has been consistently demonstrated, calling into question the validity of the study results.

The other study showing an association between UV and melanoma was among Hispanic men in Chile based on latitude within the country. A major caveat to this study is that the city with the highest number of melanomas is also home to a large population of Chileans of Croatian descent, who would not be considered people of color.

Unfortunately, none of these studies measured melanin concentrations of individuals, so it is not possible to know whether theoretically lighter-skinned people of color may be at risk for UV-associated melanoma. However, even in light-skinned East Asian individuals, there is no evidence that UV exposure is linked to melanoma.

The bottom line is that the link between UV exposure and melanoma in people of color has been studied many times over and has yielded little to no evidence of a connection. The Conversation

Racial disparities in melanoma outcomes are not related to UV exposure

Many dermatologists often point out that Black patients tend to show up to the doctor with later-stage melanoma, which is true. However, this is an issue of access and awareness and has nothing to do with sunscreen application or protection from the sun. Black people should be aware of growths on their skin and seek medical attention if they have any changing, bleeding, painful or otherwise concerning spots, particularly on the hands and feet.

However, the notion that regular application of daily sunscreen will reduce an already extremely rare occurrence is nonsensical.

UV radiation does affect dark skin and can cause DNA damage; however, the damage is seven to eight times lower than the damage done to white skin, given the natural sun-protective effect of increased melanin in darker skin.

To be clear, using regular sunscreen may help with reducing other effects of the sun’s rays such as sunburns, wrinkling, photoaging and freckling, which are all positive. But for the average Black person, sunscreen is unlikely to reduce their low risk of melanoma any further.

If sunscreen were important in the prevention of melanoma in dark-skinned patients, then why have we never heard of an epidemic of melanoma in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with intense sun, a lot of Black people and little sunscreen?

In certain subpopulations of Black people, such as those with disorders causing sun sensitivity, or patients with albinism – a condition in which people produce little or no melanin – or those with suppressed immune systems, sunscreen use may reduce risk of melanoma. But if you don’t fall into one of these categories, any meaningful risk reduction from the application of sunscreen is unlikely.

One-size-fits-all public health messaging misses the mark

Many dermatology and skin cancer-focused organizations – a few of which I belong to – promote the public health message of sunscreen use to reduce melanoma risk among Black patients. However, this message is not supported by evidence. There exists no study that demonstrates sunscreen reduces skin cancer risk in Black people. Period.

This issue of regular sunscreen use in Black people was made even more pressing after the release of two recent studies on sunscreen absorption in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This study showed that significant amounts of certain chemical sunscreen ingredients can get in the blood when used at maximal conditions, with unknown impacts on human health.

To me, the most shocking part of the studies were that most of the participants were Black, the group least likely to derive any meaningful associated health benefits from sunscreen, while being exposed to potentially harmful levels of chemicals.

As dermatologists and public health advocates, we can improve how we educate patients and the public about melanoma prevention without promoting public health messages that are grounded in fear and lack evidence. Black people should be informed that they are at risk of developing melanoma, but that risk is low.

Any dark-skinned person who develops a new, changing or symptomatic mole should see a doctor, particularly if the mole is on the palms or soles. We don’t know what the risk factors are for melanoma in Black or dark-skinned people, but they certainly are not UV rays.

This is an updated version of a piece that was published on May 14, 2019.

Study: Black Adults’ High Cardiovascular Disease Risk not Due to Race

Study: Black Adults’ High Cardiovascular Disease Risk not Due to Race

Findings from a new Northwestern Medicine study rebut the idea that Black individuals’ higher risk of cardiovascular disease is because of biological differences.

“The key take-home message is that racial differences in cardiovascular disease are not due to race itself, which is a social concept that is not related to biology.”

Black adults are at significantly higher risk (1.6-2.4 times) for cardiovascular disease than white adults. The new study found these large differences can be explained by differences in social determinants of health (like education or neighborhood-level poverty), clinical factors (like blood pressure) and lifestyle behaviors (like dietary quality).

“The key take-home message is that racial differences in cardiovascular disease are not due to race itself, which is a social concept that is not related to biology,” said corresponding author Dr. Nilay Shah, assistant professor of cardiology and epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician. “Rather, these differences in cardiovascular disease can be explained by differences in social and clinical factors. Clinicians should be evaluating the social determinants that may be influencing the health of their patients.

“The data from this study starts to identify what contributes to the higher burden of heart disease experienced by Black adults, and how much each factor matters.”

The study was published May 24 in Circulation, the flagship journal of the American Heart Association.

A breakdown of the findings

Black women had a 2.4-times higher risk for cardiovascular disease compared with white women. The study found that clinical factors, neighborhood-level factors and socioeconomic factors explained the largest components of the higher risk experienced by Black women.

Black men had a 1.6-times higher risk for cardiovascular disease compared with white men. The study found that clinical factors, socioeconomic factors and lifestyle behaviors explained the largest components of the higher risk experienced by Black men.

“The findings of significantly higher risk in non-Hispanic Black adults compared with non-Hispanic white adults is not surprising—this is well-known,” said senior author Dr. Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of cardiology and epidemiology at Feinberg and a Northwestern Medicine physician. “But it was surprising that the risk for cardiovascular disease was the same once social and clinical factors were considered over time. This finding is really important to rebut that there is an unexplained or genetic reason that Black individuals have higher risk.”

The study’s findings are important because they show that disparities in heart disease experienced by Black adults could be reduced by improving preventive care of heart disease risk factors and addressing social determinants, Shah said. The data provide a guide to identify strategies that may be particularly effective at reducing the persistent differences and disparities in heart disease that exist in the U.S.

“It is important to note that clinical risk factors, lifestyle and depression are not independent of socioeconomic status and neighborhood segregation,” Khan said. “Future research needs to go upstream to target social determinants of cardiovascular health. Our study lays groundwork to help inform community-engaged interventions that ensure equal opportunities for all people to have access to high-quality foods, environments and health care.”

The study evaluated data from about 5,100 Black and white adults who participated in the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) Study at four locations in the U.S. (Chicago; Minneapolis, Minn.; Oakland, Calif.; and Birmingham, Ala.). The participants enrolled around 1985 and have been followed for over 30 years. The scientists evaluated the information participants provided starting from the time of their enrollment to determine the role of social and clinical factors in the differences in cardiovascular disease experienced by Black compared with white adults over the course of 30 years of follow-up.

Other Northwestern co-authors include Norrina Allen, Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, Mercedes Carnethon, Kiarri Kershaw, Lucia Petito and Hongyan Ning.

Funding for the study was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (grant K23HL157766); the National Institutes of Health (grants P30AG059988 and P30DK092939); and the American Heart Association (grant 19TPA34890060). The CARDIA study is conducted and supported by the NHLBI in collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (grants HHSN268201800005I and HHSN268201800007I), Northwestern University (grant HHSN268201800003I), University of Minnesota (grant HHSN268201800006I) and Kaiser Foundation Research Institute (grant HHSN268201800004I).

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