705 - Incorporating Social Determinants of Health in Associate Degree Nursing Programs

Social determinants of health (SDOH) have been identified as key drivers directly connected to health outcomes. Prelicensure nursing education should include this content to produce graduates who can assess and address these factors as we strive for health equity. Yet, the literature lacks evidence on how this is being accomplished. This presentation will describe the results of a qualitative research study that examined how ADN educators are incorporating SDOH and what has influenced them. We will discuss how the results support The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report. Additionally, implications for nursing education, practice, and leadership will be provided.

Nursing has a history of pursuing interventions aimed at improving health equity and reducing health disparities. In recent years, social determinants of health (SDOH) have demonstrated to be key factors in the pursuit of these aspects. The connection of these social determinants to health outcomes has reinforced the need for healthcare professionals, especially nurses, to be educated on assessing SDOH needs and employing interventions to address them.

The literature indicated a dearth of evidence to support how SDOH were incorporated in prelicensure nursing programs with even less evidence to support integration in ADN programs. There was a need to gain an understanding of how ADN programs are educating students on SDOH and what has influenced these decisions.

Therefore, data were collected from nineteen ADN educators who represent 14 states in the United States and teach full-time in the clinical and/or classroom setting for this qualitative, interpretive description research study. The researcher interviewed these educators on how they were incorporating SDOH and what influenced these decisions. Data were analyzed through Thorne’s interpretive description methodology.