Anne Arundel resident Justin Dailey inspires male college students to choose Nursing

2014 Jan 29

Anne Arundel native Eric Croucher, a December graduate of James Madison University, and Anne Arundel's Justin Dailey, a current student in JMU's undergraduate nursing program, both have first-hand knowledge of the difference a nurse can make.

"When my friend came down with leukemia and I spent the night with him in the hospital, the family was on a first-name basis with the nurses," Croucher said. "By being a nurse, you're always advocating for the patient and looking out for them."

"I decided I wanted to practice medicine, but I chose the nursing route for its interpersonal aspects and the patient contact," Dailey said.

Croucher and Dailey are part of a growing number of men, both at JMU and nationally, who are choosing the Nursing profession. Previously, the number of men in JMU's undergraduate nursing program has maxed out at four. However, the program's incoming class has 10 men in it.

Croucher is the March of Dimes' 2013 Virginia Student Nurse of the Year and past president of the Virginia Nursing Student Association. He believes that as society becomes more progressive, many of the stereotypes surrounding the nursing profession are disappearing. Croucher has persuaded several of his friends, including Dailey, to switch their majors.

"You're going to get a job that will challenge you intellectually," Croucher said. "You can be that shoulder to cry on, the person that gets that tray of food for a family. You will be happy with your career. You're going to make a difference in someone's life.