A California law signed Oct. 1 will require all nursing schools and programs to incorporate implicit bias training into their curriculum, and hospitals to implement evidence-based programs on the matter into new graduate training.
Implicit bias training will also become part of the license requirements for all new California nurses.
California is now believed to be the first state in the U.S. to require implicit bias training as a graduation requirement for nursing students, according to an Oct. 4 press release from National Nurses United.
"Awareness and then education are critical first steps toward eliminating implicit bias," said Stephanie Roberson, the director of government relations for the California Nurses Association. "AB 1407 is a preemptive approach, starting with educating our future nursing workforce prior to entry into practice. There is no better way to start."