Today, the American Nurses Foundation (the Foundation) is excited to announce that one of its premiere nursing research grants, Diversify Nursing Research through Support of Minority Institutions, focused on both increasing ethnic minority nurse researchers and expanding diversity of topics and perspectives, is already yielding tangible results. The $339,000 grant was bestowed in April to Southern University and A&M College, a historically Black institution of higher learning (HBCU) in Louisiana. And some male student nurses of color within the cohort that received this funding have shared a viral video on social media showcasing the positive impact of this award.
Three minority serving institutions of higher learning were solicited for this grant opportunity and a diverse, independent review panel of three nurses selected the proposal from Southern University and A&M College. The proposal “Workplace Racism, Perceived Stress, and Health Promoting Lifestyle Behaviors Among African American Registered Nurses” was chosen due to its comprehensive approach to engage both faculty, students, and early advance career nurses.
“African American nurses account for 11% of the registered nurse workforce in the United States and even less than that are African American men. Southern University School of Nursing (SUSON) is the largest producer of African American nurses in the stateof Louisiana, playing a critical role in addressing racial and gender disparities in nursing,” said the Dean and Professor of the College of Nursing and Allied Health at Southern University School of Nursing. “Through support from the American Nurses Foundation, we are closing the gap and increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce to improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations.”
This three-year grant partnership was developed out of the desire to address some of the barriers faced by racial and ethnic minorities in the field of nursing. As one of the main funders of nursing research, the Foundation responded to insights released from the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing workgroup on racism in nursing research, which was the catalyst for the creation of this grant. The goal is to fund meaningful research led by diverse nurses to advance the nursing profession and promote equity and diversity of thought.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to see bright minds benefiting from the Foundation’s support of this program and excited about their future careers in nursing. The American Nurses Foundation is a leader in nurse-led research and funding opportunities for bold projects to advance the nursing profession. In that respect, we are strategic and intentional with our investments,” said Adriane K. Griffen, DrPH, MPH, MCHES®, Interim Executive Director and Vice President of Programs at the Foundation. “My father was a registered nurse, so this is personal for me – and this work is a great step forward in shaping the profession to be more diverse and inclusive.”
To learn more about this opportunity and the other research grants sponsored by the Foundation, please visit the Foundation’s Resource Center on Nursing World.org
