Should male nurses get preferential treatment?

[javachair]

I'm in the middle of switching careers into nursing and have a question about male nurses getting preferential treatment in job placement. In many professional fields with a wide gender ratio there are programs whether official or unofficial to try to hire more of the "minority" group. Does that exist at all in the nursing field? Imagine if the ratio of female to male doctors is 1:10. There would be program after program and incentives to attract more women doctors, as it should be. Anything like it in the nursing profession for men?

Sam

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

What about male midwives??????????????? Recently i have met more male student midwives than male student nurses. Men as nurses do seem to be very thin on the ground in my neck of the world.

[karenG]

Well, it sounds like I'm in the minority here, no pun intended. I think having a larger male representation in nursing would be a great thing not only for the profession but for the public. I'm not in favor of a quota system but would look to programs to encourage more women to go into science fields, including addressing the issue with girls at a young age that science is a field they can not only get into but something they can excel at. I think most men and boys don't consider nursing because for one they don't see it as a viable option - but in fact it's a great profession that has opportunities for upward advancement and branches of specialties to satisfy a greater intellectual curiosity. Well, I'm going into nursing, and there seems to be plenty of men in this forum so that's a good start. Anyways, it's great to be here.

Sam

I never said I dont want to see more male nurses...... rather people should become nurses because they want to, not because someone said.. oh we need more male nurses and he'll do!

we need more nurses and I dont actually care if they are male/female/black/white/orange/green/blue with yellow polka dots.......... just can they do the job!

I never did science at school......... did none until i did my nurse practitioner degree. never stopped me becoming a nurse.

Karen

[Cajun LMT]

I Don't want anything I have not earned period. I have been dealing with the loss of my hometown ( Waveland Ms.) and family homes the last 4 weeks working full time, making trips from Atlanta to Waveland and going to school. I still do not want any preferential treatment. Just how I was raised I guess.

I feel however that many people have of recently changed thier view of men in nursing. Which just happens to be the topic of a paper I have due this semester.

Mat