Implicit Bias in Bedside Nursing

Course overview

Implicit biases are at the core of who we are as human beings. They are unconscious thoughts that occur automatically, but can lead to negative judgments, decisions, and behaviors that affect others. We are all guilty of implicit biases. However, when they affect patient care at the bedside by nurses, downstream effects occur that negatively impact not only the patient, but also the nurse and their healthcare teams. Implicit biases also have systemic effects in healthcare, leading to medical gaslighting. The goal of this course is to provide nurses in the acute care setting with the knowledge to recognize their own implicit biases in bedside care and employ strategies to minimize them.