Integrating Social Determinants of Health into Nurse Practitioner Education Through a Faculty Enrichment Initiative

Social determinants of health (SDOH) knowledge and skills are crucial to improving health outcomes and achieving health equity. Yet, many barriers exist including gaps in training for nurse practitioner (NP) faculty, challenges in curricular integration, and translation of SDOH skills to NP practice. With the pedagogical shift to competency-based education, SDOH can be integrated throughout NP education utilizing a structured approach. To improve NP faculty knowledge of SDOH and enhance curricular inclusion, a team of NP educators developed a faculty enrichment initiative that consisted of a comprehensive toolkit and 3-part webinar series. As a result, the toolkit provides evidence-based strategies for SDOH curricular integration as well as assignment exemplars to streamline the process for NP faculty. The webinar series, structured using evidence-based teaching strategies, faculty engagement, and competency-driven learning objectives, focuses on disseminating knowledge, skills, and the practical application of SDOH principles in NP curricula. In conclusion, with successful faculty enrichment initiatives, existing barriers can be overcome resulting in knowledgeable faculty, robust curricular integration, and practice-ready NPs that improve health outcomes and promote health equity.