13 percent of Johns Hopkins' accelerated nurses are men

BALTIMORE, June 23 (UPI) -- Thirteen percent of Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing's Summer Accelerated bachelor of science of nursing class in Baltimore is male, officials say.

Nancy Griffin, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing's associate dean for enrollment management and student affairs, said the 13 percent of men studying nursing in the program is the highest in its history and far above the national average of working nurses who are male.

Nationally, 9 percent of working nurses are male, the U.S. Census Bureau reports.

There are 16 males out of 122 enrolled in a group of 13-month accelerated bachelor of science of nursing students remarkable for other demographics as well. The average age is 28, 29 states are represented, four countries represented, 14 percent have a graduate degree and 31 percent report a race or ethnicity other than white, Griffin says.

"We strive for diversity in every one of our cohorts. It's good for students and for the school," Griffin said in a statement. "So this is great news. Of course we hope that one day soon this won't be seen as news at all but just the way it's supposed to be. That is the goal."