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INTRODUCTION

In This Chapter

  • Health-Related Social Needs: Acknowledging and Impacting National Inequities

  • A Personal Journey to Improving Maternal Health

  • Addressing the Crack in the Healthcare Foundation

  • Improving Healthcare by Meeting People Where They Are

  • Harnessing the Power of Nursing to Improve Care Delivery for Marginalized Populations

Care delivery includes access to high-quality, consistent healthcare, which promotes health equity. Expanding care delivery to serve minoritized and marginalized populations whenever, wherever, and however they need care is also essential for fostering health equity. Nurses must remember that during our interactions with those we serve, we are often presented with only a snapshot of their life. Therefore, care delivery must be nonjudgmental, person-centered, and considerate of sociocultural factors and identities that may preclude optimal health outcomes. For some, this may mean thinking outside the box or getting out of one’s comfort zone, but to ensure that healthcare is provided to all in an equitable manner, nurses must go beyond what is comfortable and what may be the traditional, standard route to provide the healthcare that is needed for each patient or client to maximize their opportunity to be healthy.

Consider the following questions as you read the essays about health equity and care delivery:

  • What steps can be taken to address social determinants of health through healthcare delivery?

  • How can the community or community members be involved in improving outcomes of marginalized populations?

  • What role do nurses play in finding solutions to historical issues that have led to health inequities?

  • How can nurses’ delivery of healthcare support at-risk and marginalized populations to promote health equity?

  • What are examples of how nurses have been innovative with healthcare delivery?

HEALTH-RELATED SOCIAL NEEDS: ACKNOWLEDGING AND IMPACTING NATIONAL INEQUITIES

Cyrus Batheja, EdD, MBA, BSN, RN, PHN, FAAN

National Vice President, Enterprise Transformation and Strategic Solutions, UnitedHealthcare

Treyce Gladney, MBA

Director of Health Equity and Strategy, UnitedHealthcare

Growing up as a first-generation immigrant in a single-parent household that barely had money to pay rent and keep food on the table, healthcare was viewed as a luxury that was only accessed on an as-needed basis. These experiences shaped my views on healthcare. My understanding of healthcare shifted only after my family progressed up the socioeconomic ladder. I began to understand and appreciate the importance of preventive health and the value of nutrition and exercise. The research underlines that our lived experiences shape how we understand and engage our health (Daines et al., 2021). Moreover, barriers to essential needs like food, transportation, housing, employment, and access to care profoundly impact our health and well-being. People who encounter difficulties with basic social needs have less ability to achieve optimal well-being.

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“Each patient added to a hospital staff nurse’s workload is associated with a 7 to 12% increase in mortality ...

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