Michigan Male Nurse Poster Campaign

[MCN]

"it's a guy thing" male nurse poster campaign launched in michigan

in an effort to increase the number of males in the nursing profession, two groups in michigan are looking for a few good men! male nurses and nursing students who lead and promote healthy, active lifestyles are needed for a male nurse poster campaign.

the central and eastern michigan area health education center (cemahec) and the michigan center for nursing are holding an "it's a guy thing" poster campaign to promote the recruitment of men into the nursing profession.

nationwide, males make up just 6% of the nursing field. in michigan, 7% of active registered nurses and 5% of active lpns are male. in an effort to address the nursing shortages michigan is facing, there is a need to recruit more nurses.

"through the "it's a guy thing" poster we want to honor male nurses by showcasing why men become nurses, their varied scope of practice settings, and why others may want to choose this career path. similar campaigns have been used in other states and have been very successful," said carole stacy, director for the michigan center for nursing.

the poster will feature male nurses in scrubs as well as clothing worn for favorite activities such as hunting, fishing and cycling.

"this poster will break stereotypes of what people may perceive a male nurse is and may encourage males and under-represented populations to consider nursing," says stacy.

male nurses in michigan are encouraged to apply for the "it's a guy thing" poster campaign. the deadline for applications is friday, june 23, 2006. applications are available online at www.michigancenterfornursing.org

the winners will receive 5 posters, copies of their photo shoot, and the knowledge that they are helping to recruit others into their profession. a press release will be sent to each participant's community newspaper.

michigan area health education centers (ahecs) are located across the state and provide clinical education placements, shadowing opportunities, and health careers education for healthcare professionals. the ahec mission is to enhance access to good quality health care, particularly primary and preventative care by improving the supply and distribution of health care professionals through community/academic educational partnerships.

the michigan center for nursing, under the auspices of the michigan health council, was established in 2003, with funds from the michigan department of community health, to develop programs that highlight nursing as an exciting viable career opportunity. the michigan center for nursing is currently collecting and analyzing data on nursing trends, coordinating local and regional efforts to support nursing in michigan and creating statewide partnerships to address nursing workforce issues in the state.

the michigan health council (www.mhc.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing healthcare workforce issues in michigan since 1943 has as it's mission to improve the lives of people by expanding the availability and distribution of health services. through the promotion of the current health workforce, and the development of future health professionals, mhc is committed to addressing the ever-changing needs of the people and communities it serves.

visit www.michigancenterfornursing.org to see what's happening in michigan for nurses and nursing and to subscribe to the michigan center for nursing e-newsletter.