Going beyond disparities and competency: why we need to focus on achieving health equity and cultural proficiency.

Eric J. Williams, DNP, RN, CNE, FAAN, is a Professor of Nursing and the outgoing President of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA). Eric talks about some of the priority initiatives at NBNA during his leadership, and how NBNA has built on its mission to improve health equity in America since its founding in 1971. As well as discussing the importance of treating violence as a public health crisis and building a culture of health, Eric discusses ways that we can move beyond cultural competency to attain the higher skill level of cultural proficiency – skills that are good for healthcare and the wider world. Eric also discusses an important new initiative to increase diversity in the nursing workforce, working in collaboration with AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. With Carla Harwell, MD.