Preparing Nurse Educators to Teach Social Determinants of Health Using Backward Design

Background: Recent national recommendations have been developed to ensure nurse educators are prepared to teach about health equity and social determinants of health. Nurse educators may not have had formal or professional development in teaching these concepts, which may pose a barrier to implementing recommendations. Method: This article outlines a graduate course focused on social determinants of health to prepare future nurse educators with the knowledge, skills, and ability to address these concepts in future teaching. Results: A backward design approach facilitated the alignment of learning outcomes, assessments, and activities that resulted in Quality Matters certification in this online graduate-level course. Topics include health equity and implicit bias, and learners evaluate educational resources and develop an educational presentation of health inequities in a selected population. Conclusion: This course supports the development of nurse educators to increase their skill in understanding and teaching social determinants of health and health equity.