The percentage of men and women in nursing has never adequately reflected our patient population, and this disparity exists even now. For example, the percentage of men in nursing, compared to 49.2% in the general American population, shows a dramatic incongruence. And the quest for a makeup of nurses that matches our diverse groups remains hard to reach. So, we at Nurse.com decided that a resource guide focused on diversity is both necessary and intriguing. n healthcare providers is generally accepted as a precursor for understanding our patient population and providing optimal care and services for the diverse composition of Americans. It’s not just ethnic and racial groups we’re addressing. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and queer individuals have their own specific healthcare needs and values that add a dimension not encountered — or even imagined — before. If matching diversity in nursing is a challenging grail, we can try to educate the nurses we have about the cultural differences in segments of our population. At Nurse.com, we have taken diversity seriously for years, as evidenced by our continuing education offerings. We have more than 20 modules that address groups as diverse as the Amish, the Roma, Chinese Americans, Haitians and Muslims. We also address cultural nuances reflecting diversity that permeate simple gestures, such as a , and complex life experiences, such as .

While found no evidence that cultural competence training for the healthcare workforce affects better patient outcomes, there is research connecting training with increased patient satisfaction. Is there evidence that diversity builds a better nursing team?