Within this context, structural barrier are defined as factors within the systems that serve to impede integration of anti-racist ideologies into our curriculum, therefore maintaining the status quo.
Barriers
Faculty member's uncomfortability with discussing issues related to race (Apesoa-Verano & Valderama-Wallace, 2020, O'Conner et al, 2019, Woolsey et al., 2018)
Student resistance to anti-racism concepts (Woolsey et al., 2018)
Disproportionate number of BIPOC faculty allows white centric practices to perpetuate (Bell, 2021; Kaur-Aujla, Dunkley, & Ewens, 2021) as well as create a lack of role models for BIPOC students (Zappas et al, 2021)
Majority of students admitted into nursing programs continue to be white females (Bell, 2021)
Increase is quantitative numbers of diverse students don't not guarantee inclusion (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2020; Woodruff et al., 2020)
The historical values of nursing are problematic (ie equality, individualism) and we then continue to socialize students with these values within our curriculum (Bell, 2021)
Well meaning faculty can include content into their courses that serve to reinforce cultural stereotypes (Blanchet Garneau, 2021, Thornton et al., 2018; Zappas et al, 2021)
Curriculum is structured on a system that prioritizes Western science (Zappas et al, 2021)
Hierarchical structures within the academic setting reinforce systems of power and privilege (Altman et al., 2021)
Strengths (Rooted in evidence) that our program can draw on to overcome barriers
Safe spaces where faculty can discuss ideas related to diversity, equity and inclusion (Zappas et al, 2021)
Access to faculty education related to anti-racism (that faculty are accessing) ie Implicit Bias Training, Anti-Racism workshop, Anti-Racism workshops through Saskpolytech. Faculty education is critical for integration of concepts (Thornton et al., 2018)
Community of Practice for BIPOC students
Evidence supported strategies already being integrated into courses ie BIPOC Guest Lecturers invited into classrooms, diverse reading lists (Godbold et al., 2021)
Support from leadership
Language used within anti-racism literature already incorporated into curriculum ie social determinants of health, cultural humility, social justice (Altman et al., 2021) although further development needed to integrate concepts such as intersectionality, positionality, oppression and power (Woolsey et al., 2018)
First year students partake in service learning which has been shown to enhance learning related to social determinants of health compare to didactic learning (Thornton et al., 2018)