Evolving with USF’s Male Student Nurses Society (MSNS)

Over the past 18 years, USF’s Male Student Nurses Society (MSNS) has evolved from its founding to become a vibrant, diverse student-led organization that extends beyond gender identity to embrace inclusion as a facet of service. USF’s commitment to community-engaged learning aligns with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) ongoing goal to diversify the nursing workforce, taking root by uplifting and promoting student representation.

In October of 2008, MSNS was pioneered as a small-but-mighty service organization exclusively built for male-identifying students to examine the influence of gender on the nursing profession. To this day, males are considered a minority in the field of nursing; according to 2021 survey data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), male-identifying individuals account for only 9.4% of the RN workforce, marking a meager 0.3% increase since 2017. For many students, this statistic suggests that the ability to see oneself in the field fosters a sense of safety and even the opportunities available to them to succeed. Thankfully, USF SONHP’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion has allowed this organization to thrive and uplift many minority voices, inspiring many students and current nurses to continue fostering partnerships across and beyond campus. The organization served as more than just a safe space for male camaraderie: it sparked new opportunities to educate and celebrate the nuanced experiences of all nurses. Since then, MSNS has grown to not only uplift many otherwise underrepresented racial and gender minorities in healthcare, but also emphasize the importance of professional development through unique service opportunities and ongoing student-driven peer mentorship initiatives. Our faculty advisor, Dr. John Hurley, continues to be a major source of inspiration for USF’s aspiring nurses. According to the AACN’s 2021 survey, only 19.2% of full-time nursing school faculty identify as coming from minority backgrounds, and only 7.4% are male. While many MSNS alums serve in a variety of advanced practice fields as CRNAs, NPs, and more, the need to advocate for faculty career pathways and other higher-level education among minority populations becomes even more apparent over time.

When I first joined MSNS as a first-year undergraduate student, I recognized that the word “male” in the club’s title was never meant to be a barrier, but rather an invitation. As a once-closeted nonbinary/gender non-conforming nursing student, I recognize that the ability to feel safe and seen should be a right and not just a privilege, especially not be limited to campus or hospital grounds. This mentality taps into the mindsets and biases shaped by our environments, and seeing and experiencing joy in this space drove me to step up and lead. To think that rising generations might see hope in the very identity I was once ashamed to show proves that holistic nursing can break barriers, bridge chasms, and pave the way for anyone to see themselves safe in a community like our own. Now, having served on the org’s executive board as Membership Chair/Mentorship Coordinator and Publicity Chair for over two years, I appreciate how I have grown as a person through the org’s mission.

In MSNS, identity becomes an afterthought because the environment and people inherently focus on building a safe sense of community. More than physical safety, mental and emotional safety are core priorities in all events we initiate. From fun off-campus excursions to student-led tutoring sessions, simple craft-driven mentorship meetings to even advanced-practitioner meet-and-greets, MSNS offers a breath of fresh air from the hustle and bustle of classrooms or clinicals, allowing everyone to see themselves as more than just students and more so as friends.

What once started as a male-centric campus-org has since fostered into a proactive, gender-inclusive nursing community built on trust, communication, and mentorship. It is with this in mind that our identity as MSNS is also in-process of undergoing significant changes, transitioning its “M” from “Male” to extend as a “Minority” Student Nurses Society. While still in the process, this long-standing goal to shift our branding and image towards inclusivity for all only broadens the horizons for those whom we strive to serve: cutting down barriers, and extending more invitations. Regardless of the technicalities, MSNS as an organization stands for many ideas, but at its core, I always saw its “M” as standing for “More.” We are more than male-centric, just as we are more than just students; we work with more than just nursing, and strive for more to come. MSNS’ culture of community serves as a living testament of its motto: “Together, We Strive.” Diversity, equity, and inclusion are so much more than just ideas and goals, as through USF’s SONHP and MSNS, such safety is becoming a reality.

What once started as a male-centric campus-org has since fostered into a proactive, gender-inclusive nursing community built on trust, communication, and mentorship.