Goal and Impact
We strive for a nursing workforce that reflects the diversity of the nation’s population. Increasing the number of nurses from different backgrounds, including races, gender, and ethnicities, will contribute to better health and health care for all. From such diversity in nursing comes a deeper understanding of the elements that affect a person’s health and emotional well-being, and ultimately, improved care and treatment in order to achieve health equity.
Progress
The number of minority students enrolled in advanced nursing education is increasing. Some 30 percent of students at the baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral, and doctor of nursing practice program levels represent minority populations. The number of men in nursing is also increasing. In 2018, 14 percent of pre-licensure RN program graduates were male.
This graph is a part of the Campaign for Action Dashboard, a series of charts and graphs that show goals by which the Campaign evaluates its efforts to implement recommendations in the Institute of Medicine’s The Future of Nursing, Leading Change, Advancing Health.
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New RN graduates by degree type, by gender (2009-2020)
*Scroll to right if graphic is too large to view in full on your viewport. American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing (series) for BSN and ELM data; Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Completions Survey (series) for ADN data.
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New RN graduates by degree type, by race/ethnicity (2009-2020)
*Scroll to right if graphic is too large to view in full on your viewport. American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing (series) for BSN and ELM data; Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Completions Survey (series) for ADN data.
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Number of Action Coalitions with a member of an ethnic or racial minority nursing organization or men in nursing state chapter on a senior-level policymaking body (2016-2018)
Number of Action Coalitions with a member of an ethnic or racial minority nursing organization or men in nursing state chapter on a senior-level policymaking body (2016-2018)
View Full Resource*Scroll to right if graphic is too large to view in full on your viewport.Center to Champion Nursing in America survey of Action Coalitions, March 2016
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Diversity of nursing doctorate graduates by race/ethnicity (2010-2020)
*Scroll to right if graphic is too large to view in full on your viewport.American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing (series)
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Diversity of nursing doctorate graduates by gender (2010-2020)
*Scroll to right if graphic is too large to view in full on your viewport.American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing (series)
News:
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“Everyone Can Play a Role” in Advancing Health Equity
Attendees at the summit. How can we make real progress on critical health care priorities like more
Issues: Improving Health Equity, Increasing Diversity in Nursing,
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Join NOBC to Participate in an Innovation Project to Increase Health Equity!
The Mississippi Action Coalition, in a collaborative role with the Nurses On Boards Coalition, is more
Issues: Increasing Diversity in Nursing, Locations: Mississippi,
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Help Wanted: Nurse Mentors for a More Diverse Nurse Workforce
The AARP Center for Health Equity through NursingSM (A-CHEN) is seeking nurses, working or more
Issues: Increasing Diversity in Nursing,
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Lincoln University Nursing Students Attend National Black Nurses Association Capitol Hill Day
Rep Lisa Blunt Rochester posing with Lincoln University nursing students and faculty as well as more
Issues: Increasing Diversity in Nursing, Locations: Pennsylvania,
Resources:
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Action Coalition Co-Leaders and Key Contacts
Jun 06, 2025
The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action is a national initiative working toward an America in which everyone can live a healthier life, supported by nurses as essential partners in providing care and promoting health equity and well-being. Action Coalitions, led more
Issues: Collecting Workforce Data, Increasing Diversity in Nursing, Tools & Tips: Action Coalition Resources, Internal operations, Mentoring, Organizational excellence, Location: National,
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Pathways to Promote Academic Success for American Indian/Alaska Native Nursing Students: A Mentoring Curriculum for Nursing Faculty
Oct 10, 2023
The purpose of this resource is to guide faculty on culturally responsive approaches for engaging and mentoring of American Indian /Alaskan Native students, as well as to offer teaching and learning strategies for faculty to use with students. (Updated October 4, 2023). The more
Issues: Building Healthier Communities, Improving Access to Care, Improving Health Equity, Increasing Diversity in Nursing, Promoting Nursing Leadership, Transforming Nursing Education, Tools & Tips: Mentoring,