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Men's Role in Nursing Continues to Grow Jim Mitre, RN, BSN is another example of how the nursing profession continues to evolve and how the role of men in nursing continues to grow dramatically. Mitre is responsible for representing the nursing perspective on multidisciplinary treatment teams, as well as guiding the professional development of his nursing team at Seattle Children's Hospital. "Most people assume that I'm not a nurse because I don't fit the traditional mold of what a nurse 'should' be," said Mitre, a registered nurse for more than 20 years. Mitre, an Asian American, works in an inpatient psychiatry unit, providing care and counseling for young patients with serious psycho-social issues, as well as offering guidance and support to his patients, their parents, guardians and family members as well as his own team. Since the early 1800s, the nursing profession has evolved immensely beyond a solely caregiver function. From inventors and pioneering researchers to community activists, mentors and clinical practitioners, nurses today comprise an increasingly diverse vocation, and have quickly become one of the nation's most trusted and admired professions. "Modern-day nursing is ripe with endless opportunities for men and women that include traditional and non-traditional roles," said Andrea Higham, director, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, which focuses on alleviating the nursing shortage-now projected to reach 800,000 by the year 2020. "We are constantly working to expand awareness of the myriad of nursing career options available as well as a host of scholarship and related resources needed to help realize these opportunities." The Johnson & Johnson's Campaign for Nursing's Future web site, http://www.discovernursing.com/, provides a wealth of information ranging from scholarship applications and guidance to nursing career profiles. Just as the number of men in nursing has steadily climbed, so has the public's perception of the profession, ranking nurses as the most trusted profession in America for the fourth year in a row, according to the most recent Gallup poll. This increase in positive awareness is partially credited with helping the nation's nursing schools experience double-digit enrollment increases for the last three consecutive years. Discover Nursing: One-on-One with Steve Adubato This week, join four-time Emmy Award-winning host Steve Adubato for a special series discovering what it takes to be a nurse, the many opportunities offered within the profession, the current nursing shortage, and why some say nurses are America's most honest and ethical professionals. Tune in to CN8, the Comcast Network, at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) MONDAY, MAY 8 Nancy Holecek, RN - Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services, Saint Barnabas Health Care System Polly Bednash, PhD, RN - Executive Director, American Association of Colleges of Nursing TUESDAY, MAY 9 Peter I. Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN - Senior Associate Dean of Research, School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University WEDNESDAY, MAY 10 Diane Poulios, RN, M.A. - Nurse Recruiter, Saint Barnabas Media Center Gloria Essoka, PhD, RN - Distinguished Visiting Professor, College of Nursing, Seton Hall University THURSDAY, MAY 11 Roseann DiBrienza, M.S., RN - Assistant Vice President of Patient Care Services, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Kathy O'Brien, RN CNOR, RNFA - First Assistant, Kimball Medical Center Major funding for Discover Nursing Week is provided by Johnson & Johnson and Saint Barnabas Health Care System.

From Florence Nightingale to Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail: A Proud History of Contribution and Accomplishment. In honor of nurses and National Nurses Week, the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future shares an illustrative look at key milestones in history that have helped to shape this valiant profession. May 12, 1820 Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing and advocate of health reform, was born in Florence, Italy to William and Fanny Nightingale of Hampshire, England. 1850 Florence Nightingale began her training as a nurse at the Institute of St. Vincent de Paul in Alexandria, Egypt. 1860 The Nightingale Training School for Nurses opens at St. Thomas? Hospital in London. Nursing is recognized as an honorable profession. 1863 Women physicians founded New England Hospital for Women and Children to provide medical and nursing education for women. 1873 Linda Richards, identified as "the first trained nurse," was the first nurse to be given a diploma from the New England Hospital for Women and Children. 1894 The Superintendents of Female Nursing Schools gathered in New York for their first annual meeting. 1898 The Nurses Associated Alumnae of U. S. and Canada had their first annual meeting. Delegates to the 1900 convention contained only one married woman and no men. 1901 The Army Nurse Corp was formed and only women could serve as nurses. 1917 The Nurses Associated Alumnae became the American Nurses Association and men were excluded until 1930. 1974 One week in this year was designated by the White House as National Nurse Week, and President Nixon issued a proclamation. 2002 The federal Nurse Reinvestment Act of 2002 was signed into law in August 2002. The Act amends Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act and authorizes new programs to increase the number of qualified nurses and the quality of nursing services in the U.S. 2006 In March, Georgia legislators approved a proposal to allow nurse practitioners the right to write prescriptions for patients. In July 2006, Georgia will become the 50th and final state to grant NPs the "right to write."

Hustle, Gumption and Drive-Nursing Students Have It All In celebration of National Nurses Week, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future salutes nursing students nationwide. As future stewards of the profession, nursing students across the country continue to demonstrate their passion and commitment in a host of ways. Recently, three Elizabethtown, Tennessee nursing students of the Tennessee Technology Center at Elizabethtown Practical Nursing Program-Michelle Sampson, Sandra Honaker and Rometha Loving-raised $2,250 to support the Tennessee Promise of Nursing Gala by selling snacks and soliciting support from local businesses and politicians. The Johnson & Johnson Promise of Nursing galas, provide funding for nursing school scholarships, faculty fellowships and specialty programs for the regions in which the galas are held. To date, more than $9 million has been raised, with all dollars staying in the communities where they are raised and where the nursing shortage needs are most acute. "We all share a responsibility for the future of our health care delivery system," said Curt M. Selquist, company group chairman, Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc. "The Promise of Nursing galas demonstrate how much we can accomplish together, as well as continue to support the development of a skilled and adequate nursing workforce in our future." Acknowledging that their career choice is more than just a job, several students reflect on what nursing means to them and why they remain dedicated to this burgeoning profession. Emily Kelly nursing student,Seattle Pacific Universit Standing in a tiny, dirt-floor house in Kenya-surrounded by five young and orphaned children with AIDS-was the defining moment in my life that lead me to pursue nursing as a life-long vocation. Nurses have the opportunity to impact people's lives in many ways and on many levels. Whether it is a dressing change on an incision or a kind word to touch the soul, nurses heal wounds both superficial and deep within the heart. It is this interaction-the connection of one soul to another-that drives me to be a nurse Bessie Frimpong nursing student, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey People would say things like, "You're a smart person, why won't you just apply to medical school?" or "Why won't you just consider becoming a doctor? You would be able to do less work and make more money." What they didn't know is that nurses choose to become nurses-not because they aren't smart enough to do other things-but because they want to do things. Nursing is more than simply a profession. It is the ability to adapt to a variety of environments and changes, and manage numerous challenges that our roles as care givers dictate, including doing more with less. It is our responsibility as nurses to take whatever negatives lie within our profession, and turn them into positives that will allow for our growth and advancement. Adam Brown nursing student, Tennessee Wesleyan College and President of the Tennessee Association of Student Nurses The most important thing that my parents taught me was how to follow my bliss. My journey into nursing began five years ago as an environmental science major. To supplement income, I taught people how to climb mountains and learned medical skills for emergency situations. It was during this time that I was first exposed to nursing. I had discovered a newfound passion for nursing. While my education and training course took several twists and turns, including dissenting opinions from friends, I realized these uninformed opinions were no challenge compared to the discipline that nursing requires. I have learned that following your bliss may not take you exactly where you want to go, but it will put you exactly where you need to be. At graduation, the important thing will not be that I am a male nurse, but that I will be a nurse.

©Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc., 2006