Is Nursing a STEM Major?
Nursing is sometimes recognized as a STEM profession, but not always. Many schools consider nursing degrees as falling under the umbrella of STEM fields.
Students comparing the best majors to pursue often look beyond career opportunities and salary potential to understand how different degree programs are classified. Nursing is one major that frequently raises questions because it combines science, mathematics, technology, and hands-on patient care in ways that overlap with traditional STEM disciplines.
Many colleges and universities consider nursing a STEM major because nursing students complete extensive coursework in subjects such as biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and statistics. However, nursing is not consistently classified as a STEM field by every organization, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for certain immigration-related purposes, making the answer more nuanced than a simple yes or no.
Is Nursing Considered Part of the STEM Field?
Whether or not nursing is considered a STEM major depends on who you ask. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) designates nursing as a STEM career. Nursing is commonly included among other STEM degrees in college and university science departments. For these reasons, a nursing degree could be considered a STEM major.
However, not all collegiate nursing programs are given this recognition, and nursing education is not usually given the STEM designation. Nursing is seen more as an applied science without a hard focus on any one scientific field.
Considering the U.S. Department of Education's allocation of $279 million in funding for STEM majors in 2018, formal recognition as a STEM major would greatly benefit nursing. Better funding would lead to better nursing school programs, which could help combat nursing shortages and help nurses provide better healthcare interventions.
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What Is a STEM Major?
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM majors place a strong emphasis on these fields of study. They typically receive additional funding thanks to various government and private initiatives to encourage and promote study in these fields.
Common STEM occupations include:
- electrical engineering
- biochemistry
- computer science
Students often complete vocational education before pursuing STEM jobs; in other cases, they may seek bachelor's or advanced degrees at colleges and universities.
STEM majors prepare students for careers in specific STEM disciplines; for example, someone who majors in computer science may work in software development, computer programming, information technology, and related fields. STEM education promotes research, technical, and analytical skills necessary for highly technical careers.
Why Nursing May Be Considered a STEM Major
We will discuss why many think nursing should be recognized as a STEM major.
Utilization of Technology
Nurses use technology every day. They must understand how to use complex medical equipment, implement computer programs, and analyze and interpret test findings. Nursing degree programs teach students how to use these various forms of technology in the nursing field.
Nursing Courses Emphasize Science and Math
Aspiring nurses must complete several challenging math and science courses until graduation. These courses may include:
- college algebra
- advanced statistics
- microbiology
- pharmacology
- anatomy
- physiology
- chemistry
Many of these are the same courses common among recognized STEM majors.
Knowledge of Health and Life Sciences
Nursing students explore many scientific disciplines such as:
- biology
- chemistry
- pathophysiology
The strong emphasis on science in a nursing degree program suggests that it falls under science, technology, engineering, and math.
Evidence-Based Practice
Nurses are taught to use evidence-based practice in their field. This involves a strong understanding of scientific research and integrating evidence with clinical expertise. Understanding and using evidence-based practice arguably aligns with the STEM fields' reliance on research and evidence.
Use of Scientific Principles
Nurses must understand and use various scientific principles in their daily job duties. They may conduct nursing research, provide evidence-based patient care, educate others on proper nursing care and practices, and perform interventions based on scientific principles.
Why Nursing May Not Be Considered a STEM Major
As noted above, nursing is not widely recognized as a STEM major. Why is this? Are there valid reasons why nursing is not covered under STEM education?
The most likely reason is the nursing field's wide acceptance as an applied science. A review published in 2019 featured in the Journal of Advanced Nursing claimed that nursing is often seen as 'a jack of all trades and a master of none.' Nursing does not focus on one science but instead takes an interdisciplinary approach, applying principles from various disciplines to provide evidence-based patient care. On the other hand, most STEM majors focus on one discipline.
Nursing is sometimes still viewed as a caregiving profession focusing more on intuition and anecdotal treatments. It is not always recognized for having a strong foundation in science and research methods. It may thus be viewed as less intensive than other STEM majors, focusing less on science, technology, engineering, and math and more on the gentle art of meeting a patient's needs.
Another factor may be gender-based prejudice in the STEM movement. As a woman-dominated field, nursing may not be seen as a STEM major because most STEM fields are male-dominated.
Finally, there is some thought that degrees are more likely to be designated as STEM majors if they promote economic growth through methods such as product development and job creation. Since nursing ultimately focuses on a more human element, it is often disregarded as a potential STEM major.
