The need for diversity in the nursing workforce is acknowledged by professional organizations, employers like us, and our team of nurses.

Most people know that diversity is important, but some might not know why. We’re here to share some of the reasons that a diverse hospital is a better hospital. 

1. The nursing workforce better represents the population. 

The people living in the United States today are highly diverse. With all genders, ethnicities, and cultures living together, the nursing workforce should be representative of this population.

The current nursing workforce isn’t perfectly representative, but inspiring young people of all ethnic, gendered, and cultural groups to consider healthcare as a profession will help us to accomplish this goal.

2. Diversity increases comfort levels for patients. 

Because our patients are becoming increasingly more diverse, nurses who are also diverse and caring for patients is a major benefit.

Nurses who understand an individual patient's background, culture and experiences on a personal level increases that patient's comfort level considerably.

3. Nurses benefit from diversity. 

All nurses benefit when employers make diversity a priority. Nurses are ensured fair access to open positions, promotions and other employment benefits when diversity is valued, but they are also able to seek support from other nurses who share their culture, ethnicity or other characteristics. 

A more diverse team can do better things for patients and doctors alike. With different backgrounds and views, your team can better evaluate and diagnose patients, which leads to a better learning environment.

4. Diversity improves patient care.

The pursuit of diversity in the nursing workforce ensures that members of ethnic groups, cultures and communities are present on the staff. These individuals contribute unique ideas and perspectives that the team can use in the treatment of patients. 

While there are countless reasons for diversifying your staff, the most important may be that working with all types of nurses creates stronger bonds within teams. These strong bonds continue for a lifetime.

Fastaff is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes nurses from all backgrounds and encourages diversity in the nursing workforce. Apply today.