Nursing science as a federally-recognized STEM degree: A call to action for the United States with global implications

Caitlin Dreisbach; Michelle L Wright; Rae K Walker; Ha Do Byon; Jessica Keim-Malpass

doi:10.1016/j.ijnsa.2022.100084

Nursing science as a federally-recognized STEM degree: A call to action for the United States with global implications

Int J Nurs Stud Adv. 2022 Jun 26:4:100084. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2022.100084. eCollection 2022 Dec.

Authors

Caitlin Dreisbach^{1

2}, Michelle L Wright^{3

4

2}, Rae K Walker^{5

6

2}, Ha Do Byon^{7

2}, Jessica Keim-Malpass^{7

8

2}

Affiliations

¹ Columbia University, Data Science Institute, New York, NY, USA.
² Center for Advanced Medical Analytics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
³ University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, Austin, TX, USA.
⁴ Department of Women's Health, University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA.
⁵ University of Massachusetts-Amherst, College of Nursing, Amherst, MA, USA.
⁶ IALS Center for Health and Human Performance, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
⁷ University of Virginia, School of Nursing, P.O. Box 800782, Charlottesville, VA 22901, USA.
⁸ School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.

Abstract

Nursing science contributes to advancements in patient care, public health, and innovation within numerous scientific domains. Despite commonality with United States Department of Education definitions of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational programs, nursing continues to be excluded from Department of Homeland Security STEM classification. This exclusion prevents societal recognition of nursing as a science and limits attraction of clinicians and nurse scientists born outside of the United States due to omission from various federal visa provisions the Department of Homeland Security classification provides. We evaluated existing Department of Homeland Security STEM-classified educational programs and identified methodological and content congruency among STEM-classified programs and nursing. We provide clear evidence that nursing contributes impactful STEM research; and argue that inclusion is critical for advancement of the profession and the potential to mitigate the faculty shortage. Beyond evaluation of nursing as a STEM field, we offer a policy-focused solution for development and diversification of the nursing workforce.