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Profiles IN LEADERSHIP






               Meeting the Challenges of Systemic Racism and the Global Pandemic



          In our recently pub-                         scored in the current pandem-  families need and deserve a healthcare   ICU volume are viewed as imposing bar-
        lished editorial in the                        ic, with recent data pointing   system that provides high-quality care   riers as we strive to maintain the highest
        American   Journal  of                         to poorer outcomes for peo-  for all patients, that addresses social   quality care and evidence-based prac-
        Critical Care, Dr. Aluko                       ple of color in COVID-19.   determinants of health and health   tices. The commitment of clinicians to
        Hope and I highlight sys-                      Social determinants of health   inequities head on, and that seeks to   incorporating innovative approaches to
        temic racism and the glob-                     disproportionately  affect  eliminate health disparities.      meeting patient and family needs in
        al pandemic as challenges                      black and brown people, and   The COVID-19 pandemic has loomed   these extraordinary circumstances is
        to health care providers’                      pervade every environment,   large over health care throughout 2020,   truly inspiring.
        personal, professional, and                    from local neighborhoods to   and will continue to influence nursing   Systemic racism and the COVID-19
        societal responses and                         nations.                   practice for the foreseeable future.   global pandemic pose exceptional chal-
        responsibilities. We also                       We must advocate for our   Knowledge generated from prior     lenges to society, but also provide oppor-
        assert that these challenges                   individual patients and their   research can inform our response to   tunities for changes that have potential
        serve to affirm underlying   BY CINDY L. MUNRO,   families, ensuring that we   problems encountered in the current   to improve human well-being now and
        values that drive practice,   PHD, RN, ANP-BC,   treat each person with digni-  pandemic. The principles of excellence   in the future. Foundational values of
        and can provide direction   FAAN, FAANP, FAAAS  ty and respect. We must also   in nursing care remain foundational for   respect for every person’s worth and of
        for the future. The editori-                   accept a responsibility to   care during and after the pandemic.   social justice, coupled with a commit-
        al’s take-home messages are briefly sum-  work to make society more just for all.   Clinical experience and emerging   ment to improving patient outcomes and
        marized here, and free access to the full   Commitment to respect for persons and   research each make important contribu-  to maintaining safe and healthy work
        editorial is available online at https://aacn-  to social justice underpins all of the   tions to meeting this challenge.    environments, can enable us to emerge
        journals.org/ajcconline/article/doi/10.4037  health professions and is explicit in the   Family-centered care, palliative care,   from the current crises stronger.
        /ajcc2020139/31080/Meeting-Today-s-  American Nurses Association Code of   healthy work environments, and meas-
        Challenges-All-In.                   Ethics for Nurses, which forms the ethi-  ures to mitigate clinicians’ moral distress   Dr. Cindy Munro is dean and professor,
          Nurses have firsthand experience with   cal bedrock of the nursing profession.   all have robust evidence supporting their   School of Nursing and Health Studies,
        the negative effects of health disparities on   Three of the Code’s 9 provisions   contributions to better patient outcomes.   University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida,
        health, illness, and recovery in our   (Provisions 1, 8, and 9) directly address   Pressing issues related to infection con-  and is coeditor in chief of the American
        patients. These effects have been under-  diversity and inclusion. Our patients and   trol, high patient acuity, and surges in   Journal of Critical Care.




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         16                        August 2020                                                            southfloridahospitalnews.com                                                                       South Florida Hospital News
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