AMSN Official Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
AMSN and MSNCB are committed to strengthening our diversity, equity, and inclusion, to ensure these are woven deeply into the fabric of our mission, goals, and the experiences we provide for our nurses. Embracing diverse perspectives leads to hearing multiple perspectives on issues, realizing full potentials, and finding innovative solutions.
- Diversity refers to the many ways people may differ and includes factors such as gender; race; ethnicity; sexual orientation; age; disability status; geographic location; expertise; professional and life experiences; experience with our work; and AMSN membership and CMSRN certification. ·
- Equity is of utmost importance to our organizations, as we are focused on helping to remove any of the barriers that may inhibit participation by any group or individual.
- Inclusion is consistently and openly inviting and encouraging members and certificants who have historically been underrepresented – including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups –to apply for opportunities and engage with AMSN & MSNCB.
We firmly stand by this commitment as we serve our entire nursing community.
Statement on Racism
April 23, 2024 - Racism is present in all facets of our lives. Whether it is through direct statements or through the systems that have been created in this country. As the largest and most trusted healthcare profession, nurses need to speak up and speak out against racism when we encounter it and not add to the narratives, which can have far-reaching impacts. The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) is committed to changing these narratives, promoting health equity, and addressing racism in nursing. This year, we have re-established our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to ensure DEI is woven into our mission, vision, and strategic plans. AMSN is focusing on how DEI issues impact medical-surgical nurses and the patient populations we serve.
Recently, the American Nurses Association (ANA) and Indiana State Nurses Association (ISNA) issued a statement on racist comments made by a nursing student . AMSN stands with the ANA and ISNA and shares this statement with you for awareness. We urge the university to handle the matter swiftly and appropriately to prevent further harm to all involved.
AMSN has a DEI position statement that outlines the need to embrace diverse perspectives, hear multiple viewpoints on issues, realize our full potential, and find innovative solutions. AMSN stands ready to offer resources that support these goals and seek solutions that benefit AMSN and the nursing community.
Statement on Juneteeth as a Federal Holiday
June 21, 2021 - AMSN stands with nurses in celebration of the recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. It is a positive step that recognizes a painful past that has contributed to health inequity, divisiveness, and systemic racism. As the most trusted profession in the United States, nurses should take the lead in the movement to eliminate systemic racism. The first step involves acknowledging that a problem exists. The second is to understand history as it relates to our patients, our colleagues, and the role history has played in the perpetuation of systemic racism. Knowledge is power. The following websites can provide a history of Juneteenth and perspectives of experienced racism by fellow nurses.
Statement on a Step Toward Justice for the Late George Floyd
April 21, 2021 -The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) expresses its profound gratitude for the jurors who rendered a verdict, and for the witnesses and public officials who together marked an important step toward justice for the murder of George Floyd. We extend our deepest sympathy for Mr. Floyd’s family and loved ones who miss him.
Nurses stand for and provide needed care for people in their times of need and vulnerability. Mercy, justice, and antiracism are core to nurses’ responsibilities - and everyone’s. These responsibilities continue until “living while Black” and “living” are one and the same, and until every person and their potential are kept safe through mutual recognition of their essential humanity and by equal protection under the law. This one event marks a single step in a long journey.
AMSN’s continuing commitment to end racism, its statement against discrimination and violence, and its mission for patients are integral to our profession and to the advancement of health in every respect.
Statement Condemning Discrimination and Violence
March 17, 2021 - Medical-surgical nurses protect patients and health when they are most vulnerable. Instances of mass violence - most recently in Atlanta and Boulder - arise from a profound lack of respect for human life that concerns us greatly. We are compelled to stand against this dehumanization, discrimination and violence because as nurses we see it endangers the most vulnerable people in society.
Every person has value. No person deserves discrimination for their race, gender, sexual orientation/identity, age, disability, ethnicity or workplace. No person should have discrimination and senseless violence deprive them of their life, liberty or pursuit of happiness. Persons undertaking such behaviors deserve the full weight of the law and our system of justice.
Dehumanizing a person, or a whole race or gender or community of persons, is wrong. The dehumanization that leads from discrimination to violence is in complete conflict with the values nurses represent. It must stop. Just as discrimination and violent behaviors are learned, recognizing and valuing humanity and individuals is also learned and a primary attribute of nursing.
Statement for Nondiscrimination in Healthcare for Transgender Individuals
The Arkansas legislature recently passed legislation (HB1570) forbidding referral or treatment for gender transition procedures to any individual under 18 years of age.
We oppose replacing health care professional and patient judgement and evidence-based decision-making with political judgement that discriminates against our fellow human beings and patients. Such discrimination in health care is wrong. It is inconsistent with the values of nursing. It should be overturned. It should not be followed by other states.
We medical-surgical nurses stand for the value of every person and patient and for their access to excellent health care. Transgender persons are wrongly subject to discrimination and violence that burdens their mental health and well-being, and deserve access to quality health care same as anyone else.