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Many calls for action have been sounded and strategies have been tried regarding the need for the nursing profession to increase the diversity of its students and workforce. Although schools of nursing have made some recent progress, much more is needed to match the pace at which societal changes are occurring. How do schools of nursing sort through the many ideas and strategies discussed in the literature (Barton & Swider, 2009 ; Bednarz, Schim, & Doorenbos, 2010 ; Brown & Marshall, 2008 ; Gilchrist & Rector, 2007 ; Noone, 2008 ; Schroeder & DiAngelo, 2010 ) to choose which will be most effective for increasing diversity at their institution? One midwestern college developed a model, the diversity pyramid, to prioritize and organize its efforts to recruit and retain diverse students. The model, designed by the primary author (L.R.), will be described and applied to the building of a sustainable organizational diversity initiative and its use in specific recruitment efforts.
What Do We Mean by Diversity?
The word diversity has many dimensions. It may include gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, language, sexual orientation, disability, learning style, age, marital status, veteran status, socioeconomic status, and additional factors. As one of its four major goals, Healthy People 2020 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010b ) strives to achieve health equity, eliminate health disparities, and improve the health of all groups. To focus these efforts, Healthy People 2020 defines diversity as race/ethnicity; gender; socioeconomic status; disability status; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender status; and geography (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010a ).
The calls from national organizations promoting increased diversity in nursing focus on increasing racial/ethnic diversity in nursing as an important strategy for reducing health disparities, improving access to care, and promoting the cultural congruence of nursing care delivery (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2010 ; Institute of Medicine, 2003 ; Kaiser Family Foundation, 2006 ; The Sullivan Commission, 2007 ). Healthy People 2020 acknowledges the importance of "finding a health care provider with whom the patient can communicate and trust" as a factor in improving access to care (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010b , Access to Health, Overview). This was also an...