Our Commitment to a Diverse Nursing Workforce
Part of what makes Samuel Merritt University unique is our commitment to diversity. In our program, we encourage students to respect the individual patient, acknowledging his or her differences while honoring their common humanity. We also aim to create a diverse learning community—one where teachers and students reflect the multicultural background of the communities we serve.
Why Diversity Matters
Access to healthcare—a fundamental human need—is not equal for all patients. Economic, cultural, or linguistic differences between patients and practitioners should not lead to a difference in quality of care, but they do. Health disparities are real and must be addressed.
Nurses make up the largest healthcare profession and provide the most front-line patient care. We believe that diversification of the nursing workforce will significantly alleviate health disparities and have a positive impact on the health of traditionally underserved communities.
While all nurses strive to be compassionate, nurses who share common backgrounds with patients can often build more productive partnerships with them. These nurses can also act as advocates for these patients when collaborating with other practitioners or when making policy recommendations. A nursing workforce that mirrors the population at large can increase equality of access to healthcare and equality of treatment outcomes.
What We Are Doing
Samuel Merritt University takes real steps to help diversify the nursing workforce and prepare nurses to identify and address health disparities. We currently:
- Offer more than $1 million in aid to support nursing students from underserved and low-income backgrounds.
- Run the Scholars in Service program, recruiting talented students from Black/African-American and Hispanic/Latino backgrounds who are dedicated to working in needy communities after graduation.
- Offer off-campus volunteering opportunities that allow student nurses to see first-hand how health disparities affect treatment.
- Make all students welcome via our Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which also focuses institutional efforts on meeting the needs of all patients.
We welcome talented nurses from all backgrounds to apply to our Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN FNP) program. Patients and families need your compassion, your clinical skills—and your voice on their side.
Help Build a Diverse Nursing Workforce
Do more for patients—no matter where they come from. Contact Samuel Merritt University today to learn how you can earn your Master of Science in Nursing with us.