Why We Need More Male Nurses

We need to demonstrate that nursing is a good job for a man. One male nurse shared the thoughts of many who find the term “nurse” brings images of women nursing children or female nurses working in the hospital, rarely does someone picture a male when picturing a nurse. But he says there are strong reasons for men joining the nursing profession: high demand, great pay, meaningful work, the ability to specialize, and the opportunity to be a great example to young boys in their communities.

Maybe it’s about semantics—young men may be willing to become a medic even though they may think they don’t want to grow up to be a nurse, and even though the clinical activities may be very similar. This is also an opportune time for men to become nurses because more women are leaving the profession. By choosing to pursue nursing as a career, males can begin to break through some outdated ideas.

When we do more to highlight these male nurses, we can do our part to shatter these stereotypes. We can encourage young boys to look at wanting to become a nurse or medic. We can present a more welcoming environment for existing nurses so they know they’re supported, and they can grow in this career. Each and every nurse makes an impact on the world, male or female, and each of them deserves to be valued.