Cultivating a Culture:: Implementing Methods to Embrace Diversity and Inclusion

Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, Maryland, was the recipient of this year's American Organization for Nursing Leadership’s Prism Award, which recognizes an organization with advanced diversity efforts. The medical center, part of Luminis Health, added diversity as a core organizational value in 2009, making efforts to provide care to diverse populations and support an inclusive work environment for staff. Through strategic initiatives and community partnerships that target recruiting efforts, the organization has created a culture in which difficult conversations about differences are supported and encouraged. Additionally, targeted hiring initiatives have increased diversity among hospital leadership. Diversity and inclusion initiatives focus on creating a culture that welcomes and supports everyone, regardless race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation/identity.