For the sixth time, the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing was named one of American Association for Men in Nursing’s Best Schools for Men in Nursing. The award honors schools offering supportive education experiences to men in the field of nursing and those who work to recruit men to their programs.
“I am proud to represent Vanderbilt School of Nursing in the quest to fulfill the mission of the American Association of Men in Nursing,” said VUSN chapter adviser Chance Allen, MSW, MSN’12. “Vanderbilt has a special place in nursing history, including the honor of having had the first male dean of a School of Nursing, Luther Christman, who later went on to found the AAMN.”
AAMN is a professional organization that champions gender diversity and inclusion in nursing. In order to be considered for the honor, nursing schools must demonstrate their efforts to support men in nursing. Criteria for the award include recruitment materials featuring men in nursing, strategic plans to increase gender diversity, historical evidence demonstrating an increase in the number of men in nursing and evidence of male nurse involvement. Their submissions are then reviewed by the AAMN.
“VUSN provides high-quality training for advanced practice nurses from a diverse range of backgrounds,” said Dean Pamela R. Jeffries, PhD, FAAN, ANEF, FSSH, the Valere Potter Distinguished Professor of Nursing. “Recruiting men into nursing adds diversity of ideas and perspectives and strengthens our field to help provide complete care to the varied populations we serve.”
The School of Nursing teaches across curriculum on male health, including men’s health and transgender health, male cancer biology, male reproductive system and genes and gene-environment interaction, among others. VUSN has a thriving AAMN chapter that actively recruits new members and an environment in which faculty and staff excel in their careers, winning numerous awards including fellowships, grants, leadership, service and staff appreciation awards.