Essay NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias

NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias

NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias

Introduction

               Bias is defined when there is prejudice or stereotyping against someone or something. As nurse educator in the classroom setting or clinical environment bias occurs and may influence the learning environment and the performance of students. According to Sparks (20016), when an educator has biases, they may tend to be over critical or tend to lower expectations from a student due to those specific biases.  A nurse educator with implicit bias may not be aware that they hold specific preconceive notion, while a nurse educator with explicit bias means there is an aware of the prejudices that he or she possess.  Both adversely affect the interaction, and educational strategies of the educator, ultimately causing disparity in the student’s acquisition of learning. I will discuss the meaning of bias, explain my personal bias and attitude in terms of gender in education, then I will lay out strategies to control bias from inequality in student learning.

Essay NR 501 Week 2 Reflective Essay

NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias

Discussion of Bias

I have selected Masters in Nursing Education as my specialty track. This nursing specialty can create a myriad of biases towards students, a bias that I want to explore is the stereotype created with male nursing students.  The minority student population in the nursing field are men.  A study found that gender bias exists and that male nursing students feels isolated, or they get called on the spot light more often, and that instructors are stricter with male nursing students than the female counter part (Powers, Herron, Sheeler & Sain, 2018). Educators biases and attitudes fundamentally can negatively impact the learning process of certain students and dampen opportunities. 

NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias

Personal Bias

I have developed a personal explicit bias with male nursing students because from past experiences with precepting new grad or nursing students on the floor, they are less hands on with patient’s personal needs like toileting or less showing of emotional support or caring disposition to patients that are anxious or tearful about a prognosis or treatment.       

Strategy to Reduce Bias

One strategy for reducing personal bias is through self-awareness. By reflecting and being mindful of what I think and feel with a given thought or situation, I can react more with proper judgment.  For example, I would be more mindful and pause to reflect why I would automatically favor a female instead of a male nursing student to a hospice patient.  Explicit bias can be more controlled since I already know my way of thinking. I can plan ahead and put conscious effort to give each student equal opportunities. I would also avoid stereotyping by each student as their own individual, also seeking collaboration with successful male nurses with be helpful to reduce of gender bias. 

NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias

Self-Reflection

What I learned from completing this assessment is that I am more conscious of my 

thought and actions dealing with the opposite sex in the field of nursing.  I am now aware that I do have biases and to be a successful clinical instructor, I would need to practice equality and fairness to ensure students reached academic success.  I am more incline to find ways to support the minority of male nurses by attending diverse educator workshops, collaborate with male nurse mentors for inspiration and role models for students. I believe that educators should have self-realization of their personal bias and find ways to diminish any bias I hold, not to affect other people ad create disparity on the quality of education. 

NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias

References

Powers, K., Herron, E. K., Sheeler, C., & Sain, A. (n.d.). The Lived Experience of Being a Male     

Nursing Student: Implications for Student Retention and Success. Journal of   Professional Nursing, 34(6), 475–482. https://doiorg.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2018.04.002

Sparks, S. D. (2016). Classroom Biases Hinder Students’ Learning. Education Digest, 81(6), 16.

NR 500 Week 3 Addressing Bias