AACN Fact Sheet: Improving Diversity in Nursing (2023)

• after aInstitutional Analysis by BrookingsAccording to 2020 US Census Bureau data, more than 40% of the US population now identify as black. WithprojectionsWith minorities becoming the majority by 2045, professional caregivers must demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of a variety of cultures to provide quality care in all settings.
  
• after aSurvey 2020Under the guidance of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers, minority nurses make up 19.4% of the RN workforce. Considering racial origin, the RN population is 80.6% White/White; 6.7% African American; 7.2% Asian; 0.5% Native American/Alaskan; 0.4 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 2.1% two or more races; and 2.5% other nurses. Additionally, 5.6% of the RN workforce identify their ethnicity as Hispanic.
  
• The NCSBN survey also found that men now make up 9.4% of the RN workforce, up 0.3% from 2017Maximum representation of menpositions held as anesthetist (41%).
  
• Corresponding2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nursesconducted by the US Health Resources and Services Administration, nurses from a minority background are more likely than their white counterparts to earn a bachelor's or higher degree in nursing. The data shows that although 48.4% of white nurses pursue nursing education beyond associate level, the number among minority nurses, including African American (52.5%), Hispanic (51.5%), and Asian ( 75.6%), is significantly higher or equal. 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 RNs from minority backgrounds clearly recognize the need to pursue a higher level of nursing education beyond entry level.
  
• According to the AACN report 2021-2022Enrollments and degrees in undergraduate and graduate programsIn nursing, minority nursing students represented 40.8% of undergraduate students, 38.9% of masters students, 35.5% of research-oriented doctoral students, and 38.9% of nursing practice students (DNP). In terms of gender distribution, males accounted for 12.6% of undergraduate students, 11.7% of masters students, 11.2% of research-oriented doctoral students, and 14.1% of DNP students. Although nursing schools have made strides in recruiting and graduating nurses that reflect the patient population, more needs to be done before equal representation is achieved.
  
• The need to attract diverse nursing students goes hand in hand with the need to recruit more minority teachers. Few racial/minority people with advanced nursing degrees pursue teaching careers. According to 2021 data from the AACN Annual Survey, only 19.2% of full-time nursing school teachers are minorities and only 7.4% are male.

• All national nursing organizations, the Federal Office of the Health Workforce, hospital associations, nursing philanthropists, and other health care stakeholders agree that recruiting underrepresented groups in nursing is a priority for the US nursing profession.
  
• An AACN payment numberNational Commission to Combat Racism in Nursing, a coalition of nursing organizations focused on understanding the impact of systemic racism on black nurses. Led by the American Nurses Association, the National Association of Black Nurses, the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurses Associations, and the National Hispanic Nurses Association, the commission is developing an action-oriented approach to combating racism in education. Seek. To deepen its work, the Commission published a series ofaction reportsin June 2022 to raise awareness of the impact of racism on care and society, including a report entitled How Does Racism in Nursing Appear in the Education Space?
  
• Along with adding new physicians to the RN workforce, a diverse nursing staff will be better equipped to care for a diverse patient population. after a2013 Bericht des National Advisory Board on Nursing Education and Practice, a diverse nursing workforce is critical to making progress in health equity in the United States.
  
• A growing body of research links diversity to better healthcare and a better bottom line.SeekReleased August 2019Journal of the National Medical Associationfound that a more diverse healthcare workforce was associated with better quality of patient care and cost savings.
  
• A groundbreaking report entitledMissing People: Minorities in the Health Professions, published in September 2004 by the Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Health Care Workforce, stated: "The failure of the nation's health professionals to keep pace with changing demographics may be an even larger cause of inequalities in access to and in Consequences as the continued lack of health insurance for tens of millions of Americans. Today's doctors, nurses and dentists bear little resemblance to the diverse populations they serve, and many Americans feel excluded from a system that appears distant and indifferent."

The lack of educators for minority nurses can signal to prospective students that nursing does not value diversity, or provide career opportunities to advance in the profession. Students looking for academic role models to encourage and enrich their learning may find themselves frustrated in their attempts to find mentors and a supportive community. Academic leaders are working to meet this need by identifying strategies for recruiting minority teachers, promoting minority leadership development, and advocating programs that remove barriers to teaching careers.

AACN has taken the following steps to improve diversity in the student body and workforce:

• With funding from Johnson & Johnson, AACN launched theBuilding a culture of belonging in academic nursingin January 2022 to help nursing schools create more inclusive learning environments. This work includes expanding the use of AACN's Leading Across Multidimensional Perspectives.^©(LAMP) Culture and Climate Survey via a new digital platform to help schools better understand the experiences of diverse students, teachers and staff. This initiative will help AACN identify practices that facilitate student success and strengthen the sense of belonging of those from underrepresented groups.
  
• In line with AACN's strategic goal of being a "strong leader for diversity, equity and inclusion in nursing," the association offers a variety of programs and services to help member schools successfully advance DEI. This schedule includes an annual assessmentDiversity-Symposiumthat brings thought leaders together with academic leaders in nursing to share ideas and strategies for advancement; rich in informationDiversity, Equity and Inclusion Toolkit for Teachers; and quarterlyDiversity KompendiumHighlighting school-sponsored DEI initiatives, AACN resources, and new funding opportunities.
  
• In July 2021, AACN launchedDiversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Network (DEILN)Supporting nursing schools' efforts to identify effective strategies for promoting inclusive excellence in academic nursing. Members explore a variety of priority issues, including improving diversity in student and faculty populations, addressing the social determinants of health, ending structural racism, and promoting health equity. DEILN offers members across the country the opportunity to share evidence-based practices, ask questions, publicize available resources, and learn from one another.
  
• In February 2021, AACN released a video titled10 ways academic nursing is tackling systemic racismas part of yourguided tour gallerySeries. This video compilation featuring deans and deans of member schools of nursing reveals the specific ways in which leading nursing academic leaders are redesigning systems and fostering more inclusive learning environments. The gallery contains individual videos from 50 schools that focus on this critical issue.
  
• In January 2021, AACN hosted the openingDiversity Leadership Institute, which aims to prepare academic nursing leaders with the necessary skills to foster initiatives to advance IED. Under the guidance of subject matter experts, participants hone their leadership skills and apply cutting-edge diversity research to develop DEI initiatives tailored to the needs of their own institution. give clickhereto explore the work of the AACN Diversity Leadership Institute Fellows.
  
• In December 2020, AACN published a new white paper entitledPromising Practices in Holistic Licensing: Implementation in Academic Nursing,Describe how recruitment and admissions processes can be adjusted to ensure that prospective students are considered on a variety of factors reflecting the candidate's academic preparation, contribution to first class, previous work and life experiences, and potential for success.
  
• Since 2016, AACN has offered a technical assistance program to nursing schools funded through the Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) program offered by the Health Services and Resources Administration. These federal funds are awarded to schools that aim to provide appropriate staff trainingHolistic review of approvals🇧🇷 AACN support includes an assessment of admissions practices, a comprehensive on-site admissions review workshop, student recruitment and retention strategies, and models for building a successful mentoring program.
  
• Since February 2018, AACN has partnered with the National Institutes of Health to administer a mini-grant program of assistanceWe allresearch program🇧🇷 This NIH initiative is working to extend precision medicine to all diseases by creating a national research cohort of one million or more participants that reflects the diversity of the US population, with an emphasis on schools that serve communities historically were underrepresented. in Biomedical Research (UBR ), funds awarded under this program will be used to raise awareness of the program and the importance of involving UBR members. To date, over $400,000 in grants have been awarded to 48 AACN member schools through this initiative.
  
• In March 2017, AACN members voted to adopt thePosition Paper on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Academic Nursing🇧🇷 In this statement, the AACN recognizes that diversity, inclusion, and equality are fundamental to nursing education and essential to the development of a nursing workforce capable of delivering high-quality, culturally appropriate, and collaboratively congruent health care with individuals, families, and communities to provide families. , communities and populations. The position further states that AACN is committed to building a community of scientists, clinicians, educators and leaders who fully appreciate the importance of diversity, inclusion and equity in advancing the health of the nation and the world .
  
• AACN works with a variety of national nursing organizations to advocate for more federal funding for nurse development programs, including funding forDiversity Nursing Scholarships🇧🇷 This program provides funding for projects to improve nursing education opportunities for people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic minority nurses.
  
• In 2013, AACN and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) initiated theImproving Doctorate in Nursing(DAN) Project to increase the number of minority nurses completing a PhD and DNP. The DAN Think Tank has developed a white paper presenting successful student recruitment and retention strategies that nursing schools can implement; comprehensive approaches to student leadership and scholarship development; Suggestions for the doctoral model curriculum; and more. Although the DAN project is no longer active, the resources produced under this program, including a self-assessment for doctoral studies and toolkits for teachers and students, are still available.in line.
  
• In January 2010, AACN published titled as a result of a national initiative funded by The California EndowmentPreparation of a culturally competent masters and doctoral nursing staff🇧🇷 Working with an expert advisory group, the AACN identified a set of expectations for nurses completing graduate programs and created the instructional materials needed to develop the culturally competent nursing experience. This work complemented a similar project for undergraduate programs that resulted in the publication of Cultural Competence in Secondary Nursing Education and the publication of an online toolkit for teachers.
  
• In 2008, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation partnered with AACN to launch the RWJF New Careers Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN) to alleviate the country's nursing shortages by expanding the flow of minority students into accelerated nursing programs becomes. Scholarships, each valued at $10,000 each, have been awarded through NCIN to more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate nurses programs. Preference was given to students from underrepresented groups in nursing or from disadvantaged backgrounds. The NCIN program ended in 2017.
  
• AACN and the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for the Future of Nursing launched the Minority Nursing College Scholars Program in 2007, inspired by AACN's successful collaboration with the California Endowment. In addition to $18,000 in scholarships, the program included mentoring and leadership development components to ensure successful completion of graduate school and preparation for teaching. When the program ended in 2019,63 companionsreceived funding through this program, with many graduates now holding teaching and leadership positions in schools across the country.