In the minds of many, nursing is women's work. Not only is this untrue, but this misconception wasn't always around. Today, we present a brief history lesson of men in nursing and examine trends which suggest that more men are entering the field in the 21st Century than have been for a very long time.
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Picture the following scenario. You're waiting in a clinic room., and you've just been told the nurse will be in to see you shortly. Who walks in to take your vitals and ask you questions? A man? Frankly, the chances are high that the answer is no. However, many of those in the field would like to see that change.
A quick history lesson - Back in "the day," the role of the nurse didn't actually fall to the "fairer sex." In fact, according to the American Assembly of Men in Nursing, nursing duties were relegated mainly to military or religious settings - two sectors overwhelmingly male dominated.
The shift from male to female nurses didn't take root here in our nation until the Civil War. The nature of combat became more industrial and multifaceted, and women were needed to step into nursing roles.
This trend soon became the status quo in the early 1900's when American nursing schools, along with the Army and Navy Nurse Corps, were admitting only women. In fact, men were not allowed to serve in nursing positions in the latter organizations until after the Korean War. But by this time, it was a little late to shake off the gender binary so firmly in place.
Today, the undeniable majority of nurses in all levels of education, are women. In 2008, there were over 3 million nurses in the United States, but only a little over 6 percent of these were men. Men still only comprise about 13 percent of nursing school enrollees.
Gender stereotypes have been cited; women have been seen traditionally as caregivers and nurturers But could those social norms be changing?
If we're looking at the stats, the answer could be yes. As of 2011, the US Census Bureau found about 9.6 percent of all registered nurses in the U.S. were male. Seems like a low number? Believe it or not, that is TRIPLE the amount of men who were in the field just three decades before - only 2.7 percent in 1970.
Perhaps, men are becoming nurses for the very same reasons women are; nursing is dynamic, highly skilled work, and involves more direct engagement with patients than many other medical professions. A doctor's care is more focused on the pathology and specific treatment of a patient, but, from clinics to hospitals, nurses indisputably spend the most time with patients and their families.
Nurses also find a great deal of career success and stability. Year over year, publications like US News find nursing to be in the upper echelon of careers when it comes to job availability, job growth, and income. There's nothing particularly gendered about wanting a solid, reliable career.
Companies like Johnson and Johnson are even working to bolster the visibility of men in the field by promoting scholarships.
As time goes on, more men (and women) are shuffling off gender stereotypes to pursue their professional passions. Stay tuned to see how this trend affects who greets you in the waiting room.
