A nurse who works with marginalized clients knows that a biased attitude can affect the health outcomes of these clients. Which of the following impacts might be observed if the nurse has a biased attitude?

• A. Poor health outcomes for the clients
• B. Improved health outcomes
• C. No impact on outcomes
• D. Increased patient satisfaction

Answer: (A)

Biased attitudes among nurses shape how care is delivered, including how they listen, assess, and respond to patients. When care is colored by bias against marginalized clients, communication can suffer, symptoms may be under- or misinterpreted, and treatment or referrals may be delayed or uneven. This can erode trust, reduce patient engagement and adherence to plans, and limit access to needed resources, all of which tend to lead to poorer health outcomes. While it’s possible in isolated cases for patients to report satisfaction despite bias, the overall pattern is that bias undermines care quality and outcomes. So the observed impact is poor health outcomes for the clients.