The St. Olaf and Luther College nursing departments propose a collaboration to enrich nursing
students’ intercultural competence through the design of two high-fidelity simulations.
Simulations will use manikins and actors to engage students in real-life scenarios to teach
students the skills needed to understand and address systemic racism in the healthcare system. We
will utilize the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to assess students’ initial understanding
of intercultural competence and test the impact of our simulations. The need for such education is
urgent. Studies consistently show that implicit biases among healthcare providers contribute to
poorer health outcomes for marginalized populations.
Student leaders from multiple disciplines will be selected to research the impact of racism in
healthcare and will lead post-simulation discussion groups that will address how biases and
systemic racism manifest in the healthcare system and how these biases contribute to health
disparities among marginalized populations. The impact of this project will extend beyond the
grant period by creating a model that can be used to equip students with the knowledge and skills
necessary to recognize and mitigate the effects of racism in practice. We envision a healthcare
system that is more equitable, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of all patients.