If you are familiar with the popular comedy, Meet The Parents, starring Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, then the first image that may come to mind when you hear male nurse will likely be Gaylord Focker. This movie perfectly outlines a lot of the challenges that men could face when considering a career in nursing. Male nurses have long been the subject of ridicule and emasculation, but what few realize is that this stigma could be detrimental to the profession. Men in nursing can help ensure a balanced diversity and improved patient care, especially for male patients. Over the next ten years it is expected that the nursing profession as a whole will grow by 15 percent nationally, men shouldn’t be put off from an amazing career due to imminent social ridicule.
Gender roles and stereotypes are hard to ignore. It is assumed that women are more nurturing naturally and that men are supposed to grow up to become doctors, managers and CEOs. While we are starting to see more women recognized for achievement on a doctoral level we have yet to see an increase in men becoming nurses. This trend is also crossing over into Hollywood in shows such as ER and Grey’s Anatomy, we rarely see men cast in the role of a nurse, yet women are cast as doctors and surgeons a lot like their male counterparts. Gender roles aren’t all bad for men; when it comes to pay, the gender-gap doesn’t fail to permeate the nursing membrane. Although men are outnumbered in this field, they are proportionally paid higher than their female counterparts. It is estimated that on average men earn $60,700 annually while women average $51,100. And speaking of money as a motivator it is reported that men are more likely to gravitate toward higher-paying nursing jobs such as nurse anesthesia which could easily pull six figures annually – a field that will see a 15 percent increase over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What can we do to narrow the gap? Let’s start by ridding our vocabulary of the term “male nurse.” Let’s just call them what they are, a nurse. We can improve media portrayals of male nurses and implement mentorship programs to provide male role models. The demand and the salary for male nurses is at an all-time high. If you are seeking a career that allows you to have a significant influence on the lives of thousands then don’t let what other’s think or say prevent you from pursuing a rewarding career.
