By Laura Gasque
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Associate Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Family, Community and Health Systems Curry Bordelon, DNP, MBA, CRNP, ANEF, FNAP, FAAN (DNP 2016), is helping to create a lasting, national impact on the future of men’s health in nursing.
Recently, the American Nurses Association announced that it is recognizing Men’s Health Nursing as a specialty within the nursing profession, officially adopting The Men’s Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice. According to the ANA, this marks a significant advancement in how health care addresses the unique needs of boys and men across the lifespan and establishes nationally recognized expectations for professional practice, education and ethical responsibility specific to men’s health nursing.
The Men’s Health Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice reflects a multi-year, nationwide collaboration led by Bordelon and Julian L. Gallegos, PhD, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, of Purdue University. According to the ANA, nursing is the first health care profession to define a nationally recognized men’s health specialty supported by a formal scope and standards document.
“This recognition is a historic turning point that ensures men and boys are comprehensively included in our frameworks of care,” Bordelon said. “By establishing the first nationally recognized nursing specialty for men’s health, we are providing the professional identity and clinical standards necessary for all levels of nursing education to confront long standing health disparities. This isn’t just about nursing practice, it is about an interprofessional, evidence-based approach to healthier men and boys, stronger families, and more resilient communities in Alabama and across the nation.”
Bordelon and Gallegos created the American Men’s Health Nursing Alliance in partnership with the American Association for Men in Nursing. Through AMHNA, they convened a team of nurse experts from across the country to write the formal scope and standards document, addressing long-standing health disparities experienced by boys and men, including early mortality, chronic illness, mental health challenges and occupational risk.
Bordelon’s work also is positioning the UAB School of Nursing as a leader in this emerging specialty.
“The new standards create opportunities for us to weave men’s health content more deeply into nursing curricula, interprofessional education, and continuing education, while also supporting research and community outreach,” Bordelon said.
Bordelon also is President-Elect of the American Association for Men in Nursing, a national organization supporting men in nursing by promoting their contributions and advancing men’s health. Bordelon served as President of the AAMN Birmingham Chapter from 2018-2022 and led the development and expansion of the group. Under his leadership, the School was named AAMN's Best School for Men in Nursing in 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2020, Bordelon received the AAMN Lee Cohen Award, which recognized his contributions to the chapter’s development and membership growth.
In 2023, Bordelon was named to the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 by the UAB National Alumni Society in recognition of outstanding efforts by UAB alumni in building sustainable business and professional organizations. In 2025, he was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow of the Nursing Academy by the National Academies of Practice.