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In the Burroughs is a blog written by James Burroughs.

Building the best team: our chief nursing officer talks diversity

Quick question for you. How many languages do you think our Children’s Minnesota interpreters translated for patients and their families last year? 15? 30? Now double that and add some more. In 2023, our interpreters translated more than 70 different languages for kids and families seeking care with us. That should give you some idea of the incredible diversity of the patients we serve.

We want to give our patients the best care possible. One way we can do that is to reflect their diversity in our staff, giving us the best chance to connect with and understand our patients and families. At the end of 2024, 12.3% of our nurses were people of color. By the end of 2025, our goal is to increase that number to 13.7%.

Chief Nursing Officer Caroline Njau and her team are working hard to make this happen. I’ve invited her to tell you more about their approach.

Caroline Njau in her own words

As chief nursing officer at Children’s Minnesota, I’m beyond fortunate to work with more than 2,000 talented, dedicated and compassionate nurses. Every day I hear examples of their phenomenal work. At the same time, I know we can always improve how we serve our patients and their families.

chief nursing office
Children's Minnesota Chief Nursing Officer Caroline Njau

Increasing the diversity of our nursing team is not a goal we’ll achieve overnight. I’m happy to say, over the past few years, we’ve made good progress. Our nurse vacancy rate has dropped significantly, and we’re attracting top talent from all backgrounds.

To keep moving ahead we have to take a two-pronged approach. Nurses at Children’s Minnesota are well compensated for their expertise and hard work. But attracting nurses to work at Children’s Minnesota goes beyond great pay and benefits. We must also be a welcoming and inclusive place where all nurses feel valued and supported.

Beyond our walls

Here are some key parts of our plan, which has us going well beyond the borders of our hospitals and our state to find great nurses.

  • We’re actively working with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country as well as local colleges and universities to find talented graduates who are passionate about pediatric care.
  • Last spring we met with a delegation of officials from Kenya who have partnered with Pearson Vue to establish an NCLEX center in Kenya that would serve the East and Central African region. This conversation explored how we might match talented nurses from their country with jobs at Children’s Minnesota.
  • We participate in the People of Color Career Fair.
  • We’re leveraging social media to reach a wider pool of diverse candidates.

Within our walls

Once nurses are working at Children’s Minnesota, we want them to feel supported and included, so they’ll have long, rewarding careers with us. Our Nursing Diversity and Inclusion Council plays a vital role in fostering a culture of belonging and promoting professional growth. The council is comprised of clinical nurses, nurse leaders, workforce development specialists and equity and inclusion staff. They work together to identify and address barriers to diversity and inclusion within our organization.

Over the last few years, there are several other initiatives that we have worked to advance within our nursing organization including:

  • Cultural competency training: Providing education and resources to help nurses better understand and interact with patients from diverse backgrounds.
  • Employee Resource Groups: Supporting the formation of employee resource groups for underrepresented populations, such as Black, Hispanic, Asian, Muslim and LGBTQ+ nurses.
  • Mentorship programs: Pairing experienced nurses with less experienced nurses from underrepresented groups to provide guidance and support.
  • Advocacy efforts: Working with hospital leadership to implement policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion.

We know that a diverse nursing workforce is essential to providing high-quality care to our patients. When our nurses reflect the communities we serve, patients and families feel more comfortable and connected.

I’m proud of the richness of our diverse patient population and the richness of our diverse employee population. If you’re a nurse, I encourage you to consider working at Children’s Minnesota, where you can have a rewarding career, help us build the best team, and above all, make a meaningful difference in children’s lives.

Please visit our careers page to learn more.

James Burroughs

James Burroughs

Senior vice president, government and community relations, chief equity and inclusion officer

James Burroughs is the senior vice president, government and community relations, chief equity and inclusion officer at Children’s Minnesota. He is responsible for advancing equity and inclusion in all parts of the organization.

Follow James on LinkedIn.

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