Nancy Maldonado’s journey as Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego exemplifies a transformative approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in healthcare, reflecting a deep understanding of challenges in a complex hospital environment. With her extensive background in health and wellness education, Maldonado brings a unique perspective on the importance of fostering equity within hospitals, particularly in a border city that adds layers of complexity to workplace dynamics. Her academic credentials—a master’s degree in exercise physiology and a PhD in public health—combined with her varied experiences in corporate wellness consulting and social services, all contribute to her innovative strategies for improving patient care and employee engagement. Her role, established in 2022, enables her to drive initiatives that aim to enhance organizational structure and individual employee growth, ultimately impacting care quality.
Navigating Complex Organizational Dynamics
Big-Picture Strategy and Challenges
Maldonado’s approach to DEI is underpinned by a comprehensive organizational perspective that ensures her initiatives remain visible and receive support at top levels. Recognizing the workforce’s eagerness for such programs, she embarked on developing a robust DEI program without a pre-existing framework, a task both exhilarating and demanding. Her efforts necessitate navigating the intricate systems of hospital operations while simultaneously addressing diverse needs—patients, families, and staff—all within the pace and pressures of the healthcare environment. Retaining her sense of mission amid these challenges, Maldonado focuses on bridging the gaps in discussion and decision-making through the inclusion of underrepresented voices. Her strategic method involves balancing immediate DEI needs with long-term organizational goals, ensuring sustainability and effectiveness.
Importance of Tailored Training
Her strategy extends to incorporating specific job roles and tenure into DEI planning, identifying voices that require amplification within the organization. While she spends considerable time in executive meetings, Maldonado places significant emphasis on individual coaching for employees, viewing it as integral to their development. Rather than adhering to a fixed DEI training regimen, she advocates for a personalized approach that addresses distinct challenges faced by employees. Tailored sessions eschew generic formats in favor of customized curriculums derived from one-on-one coaching dialogues. This method not only facilitates deeper employee engagement but encourages more meaningful participation in DEI initiatives, fostering an environment where unique perspectives are heard and valued.
Engaging Diverse Workforces
DEI Program Structure and Impact
The DEI framework at Rady Children’s Hospital is supported through employee resource groups and a dedicated council, operational for half a decade, serving as channels for workforce insights and change opportunities. These bodies represent the diverse workforce demographics, ensuring that DEI considerations reflect genuine organizational needs. Effectiveness is assessed via employee engagement metrics and patient care scores, with a keen focus on psychological safety and the sense of belonging among staff. Maldonado posits that engaged employees deliver superior care, impacting patient outcomes positively. Her initiatives reflect a deep-rooted belief in advancing healthcare quality through dedicated DEI efforts, reinforcing her commitment to creating inclusive spaces for staff to thrive.
Addressing Border Complexities
Situated in a border city, Rady Children’s Hospital faces unique challenges, with external pressures influencing workplace dynamics significantly. Maldonado is deeply aware of how these stressors affect employees and the necessity of providing safe spaces for them. Initiatives at the hospital include monthly dialogue sessions designed to facilitate guided conversations among staff, addressing personal stressors and organizational issues. These sessions highlight the interplay between external border-related issues and internal workplace dynamics, underscoring the importance of supportive environments for employees deeply affected by these external factors. The hospital’s geographic context presents both challenges and opportunities for DEI advancement, enriching Maldonado’s approach to fostering resilience among staff.
Fostering Long-term Engagement
Harnessing Neutral Perspective
Maldonado strategically targets employees with neutral dispositions toward DEI, estimating that while 20% are fully supportive and another 20% are opposed, 60% exist within a middle ground that offers significant potential for positive impact. Her engagement strategy focuses on illustrating how DEI initiatives enhance patient care, emphasizing that mirrored diversity in employee roles enriches patient experience. By showcasing how DEI enhances care delivery, Maldonado seeks to inspire buy-in from employees, cultivating an environment where diversity, cultural competency, and language skills are reflected positively in healthcare outcomes. Her ultimate goal revolves around improving care standards rather than altering personal beliefs, demonstrating the tangible benefits of DEI to reluctant employees.
Sustaining DEI Growth
Rady Children’s Hospital has implemented a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) framework backed by employee resource groups and a specialized council that has been active for five years. These platforms serve as conduits for gathering workforce insights and identifying opportunities for organizational change. They are designed to accurately represent the diverse array of employee demographics, ensuring that DEI priorities align with actual organizational needs. The effectiveness of these DEI initiatives is evaluated using metrics that gauge employee engagement and patient care satisfaction, with particular emphasis on promoting psychological safety and a strong sense of belonging among staff. Maldonado asserts that when employees are fully engaged and feel included, they provide superior care, which positively influences patient outcomes. Through her initiatives, she demonstrates a profound commitment to enhancing healthcare quality by focusing on DEI, thereby fostering inclusive environments that empower staff to excel and contribute to improved healthcare services.
