Bringing in the Boys: How to Attract More Male Nurses

Do you support the growth or do you have concerns? This article will explore a few of the ways experts support more men entering the profession. Nurses General Nursing Article

Men in nursing - it's a simple phrase that can bring many emotions to the surface for nurses of both genders. You might feel that we need more men to level out the amount of estrogen on units across the country. Or, you may believe that the pay inequalities between male and female nurses are already enough of an issue that advocating for more men will only compound the discrepancy.

No matter what side of the aisle you land on, it's an argument worth discussing. According to the United States Census Bureau, the proportion of male registered nurses has increased from 2.7% in 1970 to 9.6% in 2013, and for licensed practical and vocational nurses, it has risen from 3.9% to 8.1% during the same time. And, whether you believe we are in the midst of a nursing shortage or not - there remain many nurse vacancies that could be filled by men.

So, what are some of the ways experts advocate using to increase the number of men in nursing? Let's discuss them below.

Starting Conversations Early

High schools help our young people choose professions. They complete personality tests that identify their strongest traits and passions to help determine a career that aligns with the strengths identified. But, are young men and women supported to break down the gender walls to choose the profession that is right for them? Are young men who score high in compassion and helping others encouraged to consider nursing as a career or are they encouraged to find a health and human services field more suited to men?

To increase the number of men in nursing, we must continue to break down gender roles. One strategy is to begin conversations with men from an early age about entering nursing school right out of high school or in early adulthood. Discussing non-traditional nursing roles with men might also be helpful. A few of the areas of nursing that tend to see a higher male population include intensive care, cardiac care, emergency rooms, and flight nursing. If we can attract men to enter nursing at an early age and sustain a long career, we will see diversity within the profession.

Offer Support in College

The first day of nursing school might be when many men receive the first glimpse into the future of their careers - one of being the minority. Whether you are in the U.S. or across the pond, nursing vacancies continue to be an issue, and many feel that attracting more men to nursing is a viable option to fill these vacancies.

So, how do we support men and offer encouragement to enter nursing school? Coventry University in the UK is offering male nursing students a $3,800 stipend for school to encourage men to choose nursing. The Oregon Center for Nursing launched their "Are You Man Enough to be a Nurse" Campaign in 2002 to inspire men to enter the profession. And, many schools around the globe are using their marketing dollars to run social media campaigns to attract young Millennial and Generation Zee's men to nursing programs.

Provide Mentoring

Every nurse needs a mentor. Finding a quality mentor is one of the best professional relationships you will ever have, regardless of your gender.

The University of Texas Arlington Online offers support for mentoring in nursing and states that one role of a mentor is to support minority and male students. Diversifying mentors and future nurses can lessen future health disparities in our society by providing diverse role models. It might also be a good idea for male nurses to find a fellow male nurse as their mentor. Offering strong male role models to new graduates can provide guidance in regards to all aspects of a successful nursing career.

Set Goals

If you want change in any area of life, you must set goals. Advancing Men in Nursing (AAMN) believed this and initiated a campaign to encourage men to enter the nursing profession. Their goal?

The AAMN wants to increase the number of men enrolling into nursing programs by 20% by 2020 - also known as the "20 X 20" initiative. As part of the program, they have created the Best School for Men in Nursing Awards Program. To be eligible for this award, AAMN will review the school's marketing material, strategic plans to increase gender diversity in nursing, course syllabi, and other information highlighting the program's dedication to expanding the diversity in nursing.

On Target?

Are we on the right track by offering stipends to men who want to become nurses? Should we continue to run campaigns and tell young men the benefits of a career in nursing? Or, should we stop and allow whatever happens to our profession happen? Tell us your thoughts about this important subject, we would love to hear them.

How can you translate that men are better from my posts? It seems with every reply to my replies, you are assuming something that isn't there. Please do not speak for me, I can do that myself.

Those misandric comments made with sarcastic tones isn't necessary, and only fuels separation between the sexes.

It is apparent that your specific experiences are different from many others.

Self reflection is an important tool that can be utilized to help people become better.

Wage gaps have not been proven "ad nauseam." I would suggest that there is evidence or correlation, but not proof.

In order to record a accurate wage gap, shouldn't there be a more scientific approach than just asking someone what their opinion is? How are the accounts of the interviewee verified? Are they verified? Are samples accurate and represent the whole community, or is there leeway for accuracy?

The is no entitlement to a higher education except maybe a piece of paper on the wall, as well as professional titles. Whether someone went to Harvard Law school or Harvard community college. I received the same pay as a new grad as an ADN did as a new grad. The pay increase came with time and level of responsibility. If someone starts out making more money than someone else with a higher degree, is it possible they had more to offer?

If you were wronged because of gender differences, then you were wronged, no other way around that. You are not the only one. Believing it is society's fault and the fault of men for discrimination against you is not going to make the situation any better. That person, or that organization is too blame.

I'm asking questions because I do NOT want to assume anything. And you're accusing me of "speaking for you" or "assuming" things yet you're doing the exact same thing to me.

Where did I say that I am blaming "society's or men's fault" for discrimination against me? I agree with you; it is the fault of the individual AND the organization. What I'm suggesting is that "harmless banter" whether anti-male or anti-female can quickly turn into an issue if someone feels personally attacked by the banter. And there are plenty of men who might take stuff the wrong way and file a complaint with an HR department.

I'm so happy your experience has been positive. What I'm simply suggesting is that preforming extra duties for the sole reason you're a man (which you seem to be implying but PLEASE correct me if I am wrong) does nothing to further gender relations.

I feel like we actually agree on pretty much everything but somehow are having a miscommunication.

EDIT: I have to apologize here; I think I inferred from your first post that your were doing all the heavy lifting/dealing with agitated patients in your ER when that wasn't what you were talking about. So I guess ignore that part in my response and let's focus on the "banter" section.

I mean, unless you don't want to talk anymore.

I don't think women nurses need us men to save them. I also don't think that bad wages and working conditions are attached to genitalia. As a boy growing up in the shadows of the steel mills in Pittsburgh (I'm really showing my age here) we had an assignment to read a book titled "Out of this Furnace". It was about steel workers (all men) and the working conditions / meager they endured. The answer to addressing these issues is a unified voice. The more we get into silly and divisive "my sex is better then your sex" arguments the further we are away from uniting. If I was in management or administration I'd love these posts as it shows they can keep treating us like yesterdays dinner and either simply ignore our arguments or flush them down the toilet.

Until such time that women's salaries are dollar for dollar the same as men's instead of $.86 to their $1.00, I don't feel particularly compelled to entice more men to the nursing field.

The "gender wage gap" is a complicated thing and it doesn't even exist in many workplaces. Most hospitals that I am aware of have a set wage scale that takes into account experience and does not take into account gender. Teachers, police, firefighters, etc. all generally have a single wage scale, not separate ones for men and women. Now, in certain industries and at certain companies, perhaps sales, computer engineering and executive positions, there probably is a wage gap and a "Boys Club." But in general, most of the "wage gap" disappears when you take into account choice of careers (men often choose careers that pay more), hours worked (men often work more hours while women sometimes choose a better life balance or choose to work fewer hours to take care of children), and experience (women often lose out on a few years of experience if they quit working to start a family). I won't go into any more detail as there are plenty of articles and videos on this topic that can be easily found by searching Google or YouTube. If you are a woman who feels unhappy because you keep hearing about a "wage gap," then I recommend you look at some of these articles. I think it will make you feel better to know that if there is a wage gap, it's very small, especially in a female-dominated field like nursing.

I'm a male RN, just graduated and got my license this year. I don't think males need an extra financial incentive to go into nursing. The money is good in nursing. If people want more male nurses (maybe people don't?) the things that would need to change probably have more to do with the working environment of nursing than with money. I experienced an exclusionary "Girls Club" during my rotation in Pediatrics. The following is my personal opinion, but I believe that many men cannot tolerate for long being in an environment where they feel disrespected and unappreciated. For example, men may leave the profession if a majority of the patients are rude, or if management continuously understaffs the facility, or if there is continuous gossiping and backstabbing. I think that having more men in nursing would be good for the profession. I also think that having more women in management in other fields would be good for those professions. But I don't think that there needs to be a special financial incentive.

1) Maybe spend a little time thinking about why men do not choose to stay home after starting a family. I don't think this is a question for which you need my input. Hint: women don't make as much $$$ as men. And, the vast majority of men wouldn't be wiling to put their careers on hold for their family. There is absolutely nothing easier about staying home with a newborn or young children as compared to working outside the home. Doing both, however, is next to impossible. (Which a lot of women wind up doing, anyway).

2) Our entire society and capitalistic economy props up the wage gap. It's a systemic and deliberate practice. Men make more than women. It's been that way forever; probably will continue to be so because we are a male dominated/patriarchal society. Men do not like to support women in positions of power. It's an entire gender/power dynamic that is well known; you HAVE to know this.

First of all, the "wage gap" between men and women nearly disappears completely when you account for career choices, experience and hours worked. You can find articles on this easily as other posters have pointed out. Second, men typically don't put their careers on hold for their family because mostly THEY CAN'T. How many women are looking to marry and start a family with a man who doesn't work and bring in money? Very few. Men HAVE TO make earning money a priority if they want to attract a quality woman and have the option of starting a family. That's a major reason why most men choose careers with higher pay, even if they truly wish to be artists or musicians or whatever. I actually have a close friend who was injured and has been a stay at home dad while his kids grew up. His wife had to work to support the family, and she is very resentful about it. She is very jealous that he got to be with the kids all those years while she had to work.

It is true that having a job and raising a family at the same time is very difficult, and this is generally a hardship for women who want to do both. But that is because doing two difficult jobs at the same time is naturally difficult - not because men decided that it should be that way. You want to be a high-powered attorney who flies all over the country preparing for multi-million dollar lawsuits? Fine, but you can't do that and be home every night to be with your kids; it's just impossible.

Also, you say that women bring just as much value to society as men - and I think that this is true. But value to society and money are not the same thing. Raising kids doesn't make a profit. Kids are actually a huge cost. Let's say I own a company that makes widgets. Bob is my top salesman. He brings in ten million dollars worth of business per year, therefore I pay him a nice fat salary and bonus check. Everyone knows that Bob's wife Mary is the best mother in town. Mary is the school board president and head of the local PTA. Their four kids do great in school, Mary is an amazing cook who invites me (Bob's boss) over for dinner occasionally. Mary is a fantastic, smart, hard-working person. Everyone adores and respects Mary. So how much money do I pay Mary? NOTHING. Mary doesn't work for my company, she doesn't make my company any more profitable. So I pay Mary nothing. That is the difference between value to society and financial worth. I believe that this is the main reason why traditionally "female" jobs pay less.

Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

You could do yourself an educational favor re: the so-called "Wage Gap" by taking a peek at the details. As you may recall, that's where the Devil is. At least 25 factors explaining the truth, have been identified.

The wage discrepancy between men and women across hundreds of jobs has been well-explained by peeling back a few inconvenient layers of this pesky conundrum, which is not really much of a mental challenge at all, for those who opt for logic over emotion:

In almost every career category, men spend more hours in the workplace than women do. They work far more O.T. From a boss's perspective, that alone makes you more valuable.

Males are usually more willing to take on lethal assignments (think med helicopters and Haz-Mat teams, for two)

Men generally have fewer familial obligations that don't limit their options or their extra hours

Males are consistently more willing to sacrifice comfort and convenience for higher earnings (at least two studies show male nurses are more willing to commute longer distances)

Men are often more willing to leave a job and move on to a higher paying position

Males are off-the-chart more willing to take on more dangerous jobs (92% of deaths in the workplace are men)

Perhaps the most interesting of the many realities is the finding that, among individuals who have never married and have no children, women actually earn MORE than men, and have done so for 50 years. Never-married men without children, earn about 85% of their female counterparts.

The reality is out there. All you have to do is look it up.

Incidentally, all of this and more, is detailed in Warren Farrell's very readable book, "Why Men Earn More". I highly recommend the book for those who are more interested in reality than fantasy.

WOW!. I posted this over two yers ago and look how the comments have come in. Truly a Scheiße Sturm. I'd also like to point out that my detractors have all missed the point (I mean unless I missed some one's salient argument to my central point. I could have.)

The one I loved most was from nehneh14. nehneh14 objected to my statement that men have changed their behaviors in formerly male dominated fields by stating:

" BBM "Did"?????? Huh, missed the part where they "did" that... And as for "less like a hen house where the pecking order is the only order", you're telling on yourself. If you think male dominated work spaces are any less fraught with drama and politicking, then you need to branch out a bit more professionally. Oy."

Friend, ya missed it. I was in engineering and construction engineering for 20-years before getting into nursing. In 14-years of nursing practice I have been witness to some of the most uncivil, unprofessional behaviors of my life. I am not the only one my dear friend. Nurses themselves recognize this. We are the ONLY profession in which I see CEUs, seminars for managers, and even books that speak to the incivility of nursing. A short sampling:

"Creating and Sustaining Civility in Nursing Education (Second Edition)" by FAAN Cynthia Clark, PhD, RN, ANEF

"Incivility Among Nursing Professionals in Clinical and Academic Environments: Emerging Research and Opportunities (Advances in Medical Technologies and Clinical Practice)" by Cheryl Green

From the ANA https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/violence-incivility-bullying/

And I am only skimming the surface. I challenge you to find something similar for anyother profession. If you do, I challenge you further to provide me with half as many current works, and seminars on the subject of incivility in any other field.

I saw what happened when men mistreated women in the formerly male dominated fields. If they were lucky they just got fired. Don't tell me it's not changed out there. I watched it change and APPLAUDED it. Either you are too young to know about this, or the fact is inconvenient to your argument. A straw person argument by the way.

I see the same behaviors here that my sisters complained of on the cheer leading squads and in sororities. They have since gone on to careers in engineering and science where they complain of politics, lazy co-workers that hey carry, sure, but missing is is the bullying, and sabotage of one team member by another (or more often by a clique of others).

My own mother, a feminist, said that the worst teams to work on were those that didn't feature a balance of things including genders. This was the woman once told by her administrators that she didn't deserve as much money because she wasn't raising a family (which she was. On her own). She later out-earned everyone in that school (and it was the women that accused her of using dishonorable means of reaching the top).

And to those complaining of pay inequality, remember that the original theme of the article here was how to get more men into the field of nursing. If the main thing keeping men out of nursing was that men make more money than women in nursing, would there not be more men coming in..? Come on. Another straw person argument there. Totally unrelated to the point. Which, again, is how to get more men into the profession.

The reason men are not coming into nursing, or why they are quite frequently leaving is the incivility they observe and receive from their female colleagues. Plain and simple. You want more men? Change the culture and embrace the change!

Just. Like. Men. Did.

Rain coat on. Sitting in my raft. Und jetzt ... Lass den Scheißsturm beginnen. Nochmal.

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