DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION TASK FORCE UPDATES

SPN recognizes the importance of creating and supporting a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our organization, nursing, and the pediatrics specialty. In order to advance SPN's strategic DEI objectives, the Board of Directors convened a DEI Task Force in 2020.

The task force began by creating an organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion statement. They then developed, administered, and analyzed a membership survey to understand the characteristics of the membership and perceptions of the organization with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Survey results were disseminated in a 2021 JPN publication: Stop, look, and listen: SPN’s diversity, equity, and inclusion progress report. 

To address members’ responses in the survey, the task force completed the following actions:

• Revised SPN’s vision and core values to ensure that they speak to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Developed definitions and curated DEI resources: SPN’s DEI Definitions and Resources
• Recommended topics for blog posts and eNews articles that resulted in 1 article and 3 blog posts
• Integrated diversity, equity, and inclusion into key processes, including:
  • the Nominations process by adding a question to the Candidate Application
  • the Clinical Practice and Research Committee’s Research and EBP Grants process by adding language indicating that projects including a consideration of diversity, equity, and inclusion be given preference
  • the Chapter Support and Development Committee by adding a question about DEI efforts on the Chapter Annual Report
  • the Awards Task Force taking answers to that DEI question into consideration for the Annual Chapter of the Year Award and recommending that a free-standing DEI Award be created
  • DEI Task Force representative joining the Pre-Licensure and Residency Core Competencies Task Force
• Presented task force efforts at the 2022 Annual Conference and included opportunities for discussion for attendees
  • Podium presentation: Stop, Look, and Listen: The Importance of Renewed Organizational Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Poster presentation: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Snapshot on SPN’s Journey
• Sponsored 2023 Annual Conference pre-conference topic and speaker:
  • Sacred Conversations on Race with Dr. Luci-Jo DiMaggio
• Collaborated with experts to present four webinars in 2023:
  • January: More Than Just Hair: Improving Hair Care Equity in Healthcare with Surlina Asamoa, MSN, MHA, RN, CCM & Laura F. Watson, MSN, RN, CDFT
  • June: Cultural Humility in Working with Gender Diverse Youth with Bianca Salvetti, DNP, CNS, CPNP-PC
  • Upcoming on September 13, 2023: Substance Use and HIV Risk Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness with Diane Santa Maria DrPH, MSN, RN, ACRN, FSAHM, FAAN
  • Upcoming on November 2, 2023: Promoting Equitable Care and Access for Children with Special Needs and Their Familieswith Lizdelia Piñón, Ed.D.

The task force will be making additional recommendations to support SPN’s efforts to integrate DEI throughout all aspects of SPN’s work to advocate for the specialty of pediatric nursing by advancing excellence in education, research and evidence-based practice.

To capture awareness of DEI efforts completed thus far, a survey will be shared with members in October or November. Be on the lookout for the survey launch, and be sure to provide your feedback on the progress SPN has made. This will be your opportunity to guide SPN's continued commitment to integrating DEI across the organization.