Going Beyond the Jokes: The Truth About Men in Nursing
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In the film Meet the Parents, Greg Focker, played by Ben Stiller, is condescendingly introduced by his future father-in-law as "a male nurse." Hearing this, another character responds, "Wow! That's great. I'd love to find some time to do some volunteer work too." Throughout the film, whenever Focker is introduced as a male nurse, the general response is resounding laughter and the obligatory follow up question, "No, really, what field are you in?"
This movie exemplifies society's stereotype that nursing is a field for females. Men are doctors. Women are nurses. And if there is a male nurse, they are just doing it in order to earn some extra income while studying to become a real doctor. Right?
Wrong—and it couldn't be more wrong.
Increased Demand for Nurses Means Good Job Security for You
Nursing may have been primarily a career for females at one time, but today nursing is an intriguing and profitable career option for both genders. With an increased demand for nurses, more men are choosing the nursing profession. And they are finding the field to be a rewarding and satisfying career choice. As the fictional Greg Focker explains, despite his high MCAT scores, he finds nursing to be a more fulfilling profession than being a physician would have been.
According to the American Nurses Association, only six percent of all nurses are men. Further, across the country, hospitals and medical support staff are facing an increasing short supply of nurses. In fact, the American Hospital Association estimates that 75 percent of all medical vacancies are for nurses. This all comes in the face of an impending baby boomer generation on the brink of retirement, foreshadowing an increased need for qualified nursing care. Not surprisingly, the Department of Labor has listed registered nursing as the top occupation for job growth through at least the next decade, with over one million new and replacement nursing positions opening up during this time. Now that's opportunity knocking.
A Profitable, Professionally Rewarding Career Decision
You can see why men are becoming attracted to the nursing field. What's not to like? For starters, the significant demand for nurses makes finding and keeping a job easier than in most other professions. Nursing—for both men and women—is a secure career move. Nursing also pays well, with the median wage in nursing around $53,330. Nursing offers good benefits, flexible hours and almost limitless options for where you can work and the types of jobs available. This is a financially sound career with universal appeal, and men have started figuring that out.
Nursing also offers the male nurse significant opportunities for professional advancement. With so few men in nursing, there is a corresponding shortage of male nurses in leadership and administrative roles. Male nurses who are interested in these roles have excellent chances of quickly rising to the top of the field.
The most important fact, however, is that nursing can be a rewarding and enjoyable career that lets you play a direct role in working with unique individuals. Both men and women in nursing enjoy the people aspect of the job. Instead of spending your day stuck behind a desk, you can spend it working with patients and making a difference in people's lives.
What It's Really Like to Be a Male Nurse
Clearly, deciding to become a nurse makes sense in terms profitability, availability, security and professional satisfaction. But there's still the lingering question of "what is it really like to be a male nurse?" Ironically, it's exactly as the accident-prone nurse Gaylord Focker describes it: Male nursing is a fulfilling, challenging, rewarding and wholly enjoyable profession.
Source:
LeMoult, Craig. "Why so Few Male Nurses?" Columbia News Service. April 18, 2006