By Sarah Morgan Johnson
The American Association for Men in Nursing has recognized the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing as a 2024 Best School for Men in Nursing, UAB Medicine as a 2024 Best Workplace for Men in Nursing and has awarded Bachelor of Science in Nursing student Nathan Talarico with the 2024 Outstanding Student Award.
This is the sixth year in a row the School has received the distinction of Best School for Men in Nursing and the second year in a row UAB Medicine has been named a Best Workplace for Men in Nursing. Assistant Professor and President of the Birmingham at-Large Chapter of AAMN Somali Nguyen, DNP, CRNP, AGACNP-BC (BSN 2010, MSN 2014, DNP 2019), said that these awards represent a commitment to excellence and community engagement.
“This recognition highlights our dedication to advancing the nursing profession and supporting underrepresented groups. For potential students, this award symbolizes a beacon of opportunity and inspiration, highlighting the profound impact in health care that they can achieve by attending a nationally ranked and highly respected school of nursing,” Nguyen said.
Chapter Vice President and Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Program Manager at UAB Medicine Jason Hatcher, MSN, RN, NE-BC (MSN 2010), notes that these awards are a testament to the strong partnership between the School and UAB Medicine.
“These awards really highlight the investment that the School of Nursing and UAB Medicine have made to support men in nursing to ensure that they are an equal partner not only for education, but for career growth in health care as well. Recruiting and retaining male nurses will continue to strengthen our partnership between the School and UAB Medicine. This partnership that was started almost four years ago continues to pay dividends to our profession and our organization. I hope we can keep this momentum moving forward as our vision becomes reality,” Hatcher said.
Last year, the BCAAMN established community partnerships with the Alzheimer’s Association in Birmingham and Brother Bryan Mission. In conjunction with the Men in Nursing Employee Resource Group at UAB Medicine, they introduced the CANstrution competition to bring in food and toiletry items for families in need. This year, the Chapter has continued to prioritize community engagement.
“Building on the momentum from last year, our community engagement efforts have continued to thrive. The CANstruction competition has expanded to include additional UAB facilities, such as the School of Nursing, The Kirklin Clinic and UAB Hospital-Highlands. We have had members volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and organizing clothing drives for the Jimmie Hale Mission. Most recently, the BCAAMN hosted the ‘Hot Topics in Men’s Health’ conference. This event provided valuable insights into men’s health and featured a discussion panel with organizations dedicated to offering men in the greater Birmingham area safe shelter and programs designed to help them become functional and contributing members of society,” Nguyen said.
Involvement with BCAAMN has provided BSN student Nathan Talarico with invaluable support and professional opportunities. Talarico currently serves as a BCAAMN student board member. He said receiving the AAMN 2024 Outstanding Student Award “means the world” to him.
“I am blessed to be among some of the most supportive communities I’ve known at the School of Nursing and within BCAAMN. Through them, I have become involved with research and been given the opportunity to present at our national conference. Their encouragement has helped me develop personally and professionally. I look forward to carrying on their dedication to empowering young professionals, as I hope to one day fill their shoes,” Talarico said.
Looking to the future, Nguyen’s hope is that the BCAAMN continues to make a difference at the national and local level.
“My goal for the future of this chapter is to continue growing our impact both within the nursing profession and the broader community. I envision us expanding our partnerships, increasing our outreach programs and continuing to advocate for health equity and excellence in nursing education. By doing so, we can inspire the next generation of nurses to be leaders in their field and compassionate caregivers in their communities,” Nguyen said.
