I looked and looked, but only found 3 primary reasons why Nursing is NOT considered a STEM profession. None of them make sense.
- Nursing is more about caring, a humanities-based pursuit, and less about science: Nurses are experts at taking hard scientific realities and making them accessible to the public. It’s why we’re the most trusted profession in the nation. But being good with people doesn’t mean we’re not basing every decision on irrefutable data. When was the last time a computer programmer wove together knowledge from microbiology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and social psychology, all in the span of 15 minutes while executing multiple clinical decisions? Nurses do. Every day.
- Nursing is an applied science, not a physical science: Every STEM profession is busy applying previously generated knowledge. Nursing, like other STEM professions, also has a portion of its membership that engages in empirical research. Not every computer programmer, I/O psychologist, or medical doctor is active in research. Nurses who serve in academia or large health systems are utilizing rigorous quantitative research, alongside other useful methods, to open up new possibilities for achieving greater health and well-being in our communities. See the article linked below to learn more.
- Nursing isn’t innovative. STEM is about innovation and disruption: Innovation is our middle name. We demonstrate it through our contributions to health science, data science, and the emerging field of Implementation Science. Meanwhile, the dysfunctional micro-systems within the American Healthcare System are disrupted daily by nurses who step in with evidence-based interventions to save lives and maintain safety.
And we’re doing all this without the support of STEM programming or STEM funding. Imagine what nurses could do with the resources the work warrants.
Imagine the health and wellness our nation deserves.
Learn more here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666142X22000236