Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been recognized with the 2024 Best Workplace for Men in Nursing Award from the American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN). This is the fifth time VUMC has received the award.
The AAMN is a professional organization that works to improve gender diversity and inclusion in nursing. VUMC received the award at the 48th annual AAMN Conference in St. Louis, which was held Oct. 17-19.
Criteria for the award included 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. About 10% of Vanderbilt’s nurses are male.
Among Vanderbilt’s gender-inclusive policies is the parental leave policy that allows new fathers as well as mothers to receive two weeks of paid parental leave. Nursing recruitment materials are inclusionary of males.
A contingent of male nurses throughout VUMC prepared an application for the award, including Bryan Dejanovich, RN, MBA, MMHC, senior director of Regional Hospital Integration at VUMC.
“It was an honor to receive this award this year and be able to share all the great work VUMC is doing for males in nursing,” Dejanovich said. “Highlighting our staff and being able to share their stories with this organization is always exciting for us.”
While acknowledging a stigma around men in the nursing profession globally, VUMC strives to make diversity in its workforce intentional and has long included men who are committed to providing quality, compassionate care for patients and families.
VUMC’s attendance at AAMN conferences is having other positive impacts. Jeremy Crawford, MMHC, RN, NE-BC, president of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of AAMN and senior associate in Nursing at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, noted, “The Middle Tennessee chapter was created from ideas gained at previous AAMN national conferences. This chapter supports the association’s work on a local level.”
Vanderbilt’s male nurses continue to be regularly recognized with institutional awards, including The DAISY Award, Five Pillar Leader Award and Credo Award. Male nurses hold leadership roles throughout the enterprise, including chairing or co-chairing dozens of unit boards. Vanderbilt’s men in nursing were an integral part of achieving VUMC’s fourth Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialling Center, the highest an organization can receive for the provision of nursing care and interprofessional collaboration.
“We firmly believe that a diverse nursing workforce, which includes talented and dedicated men, enhances the care experience and strengthens our ability to meet the unique needs of our patients,” said Karen Keady, PhD, RN, system chief nursing officer. “It is an honor to be recognized by the AAMN for our dedication to create an inclusive workplace where nurses who identify as male can thrive.”
