Health Equity Consortium: Amplifying Diverse Nursing Voices for Action

Abstract

Systemic discrimination within nursing and healthcare institutions continues to shape inequitable workforce experiences and leadership opportunities for 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous, and Black nurses. These inequities have implications not only for the nursing profession but also for health system performance and the delivery of culturally safer care. In 2024, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) established the Health Equity Consortium (HEC) to coordinate collective action across three equity-focused nursing interest groups. This paper argues that the HEC constitutes a policy-relevant organizational response to structural inequities in nursing, demonstrating how professional associations can operationalize equity, diversity, and inclusion through governance, advocacy, and capacity-building mechanisms. Guided by Critical Social Theory, the analysis draws on the concepts of liberation and conscientization to examine how shared experiences of marginalization are mobilized into coordinated policy and practice interventions. The paper highlights key outcomes associated with the HEC, including the advancement of anti-racism initiatives, the integration of equity-focused content into professional development and education, and the creation of leadership pathways for underrepresented nurses. It further illustrates how collective advocacy within a formal organizational structure can influence policy priorities, strengthen accountability, and support system-level change. The HEC provides a transferable model for embedding equity within professional governance and health policy frameworks. Its approach underscores the role of nursing leadership in advancing structural change and offers insights for policymakers and health organizations seeking to address workforce inequities and improve the inclusiveness of healthcare systems.

Keywords

health equity nursing policy workforce equity equity diversity and inclusion (EDI)anti-racism indigenous health 2SLGBTQI+health nursing leadership health system transformation professional governance

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