Historically, nursing was an all-male profession until stigmas made it a female-focused role. Diversifying nursing may increase positive health outcomes and push the industry further scientifically. Male nurses tend to choose fast-paced roles, such as nurse anesthetist or acute care, and enjoy benefits like a high salary and job security.
The role of women in the nursing field has long been established. Nursing has provided an essential space for women to find stable employment and expand their presence in healthcare. The development of the nursing field has been highly successful, establishing its role as America’s most trusted profession for just over two decades and counting. However, lingering stigmas and stereotypes have kept men from contributing to the field in a statistically significant way. Just as women have carved out their space, men have a crucial role in making nursing a more representative and inclusive workforce.
Marian University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program welcomes all candidates with the dedication and outlook needed for nursing, regardless of gender. Our program is designed for students motivated to transition careers and leverages your non-nursing bachelor’s degree to help you earn your BSN in as few as 16 months of professional nursing study. Using our hybrid curriculum, Marian’s ABSN program provides students with the knowledge and compassion to transition successfully.
Before we look at why male nurses are in demand, let’s understand the historical and modern role of men in nursing.
The Role of Men in Nursing
Throughout ancient history, nursing was considered an almost entirely male profession. It started with religious obligations and training that prepared monks to care for those in need and continued with men providing lifesaving care on historic battlefields.
The trend of female-dominated nursing began in the Crimean War during the 1850s, when Florence Nightingale led a team of 38 volunteer nurses, and her experiences revolutionized the nursing field forever. During the Civil War, the U.S. saw a commensurate shift in nursing demographics to mirror the developments in Europe. At the beginning of the war, medical professionals on both sides preferred staffing the hospitals with male nurses, believing women did not have the constitution for the job. However, as the casualties grew, hospitals were forced to recruit female nurses to keep up with the number of wounded soldiers. After the war ended, the number of women rose to outnumber men. This trend continued over time until only 2.7% of nurses were male in 1970.
What percentage of nurses are male today? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of men in nursing has grown by 59% over the past ten years, with men representing 12% of the nursing workforce in 2023. Whether it’s the result of stigmas or a lack of education on the opportunities that nursing offers, there is a long way to go before men and women have equal representation in nursing.
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Why are Male Nurses in Demand?
It is crucial that more men pursue nursing, not only because it is a fulfilling career but because diversity improves the quality of patient care. Just as women may commonly prefer confiding in female nurses, men are often more comfortable sharing their health conditions with other men. Allowing patients to have that outlet may advance the discovery of injuries or ailments and increase the likelihood of positive health outcomes.
Increasing the number of men in nursing also expands the pool of candidates for hospitals to hire, a necessary development as the nursing shortage continues.
Ultimately, every industry benefits when it best represents the people it serves. Once we achieve a more balanced workforce, we can look forward to a more balanced view of science.
Common Career Paths for Men in Nursing
There are no incorrect career paths for male nurses, but according to the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey, men tend to gravitate toward certain specialties. The data reports that men in nursing choose fast-paced specialties requiring adaptability, physical stamina and critical thinking. Let’s look at a few popular careers.
Acute Care:
Acute care nurses provide patients short-term treatment after a sudden illness or injury. Their advanced training prepares them to work with patients in critical condition, often after a car crash, sustaining a fall injury, suffering from a severe burn or any other serious trauma. Acute care nurses work in ICUs, emergency departments, urgent care clinics, trauma units, and more.
Anesthesia:
Nurse anesthetists, or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) who assist doctors, surgeons and anesthesiologists in administering anesthesia to patients of all ages. CRNAs work with patients before, during and after surgery to ensure a safe procedure and recovery.
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Perioperative:
Also known as surgical or operating room (OR) nursing, perioperative nurses focus on patient care before, during and after surgical and invasive procedures. These nurses work in clinics, hospital surgical departments and day-surgery units, collaborating with other surgical healthcare professionals to plan, implement and evaluate treatment for surgical patients.
Medical-Surgical:
Medical-surgical nurses, also called med-surg nurses, prepare patients for and help them recover from surgery. Their duties may include administering medications, wound care and changing dressings, updating records, running tests or checking vitals, and assessing the patient’s condition. Med-surg nurses see an immense number of patients, typically being transferred from the ICU or trauma units.
Emergency/Trauma:
Emergency and trauma nurses work to examine patients quickly, triage them, communicate with patients and their families and treat their injuries or illnesses. Emergency nurses focus on immediate treatment and stabilization. Many ER nurses specialize in trauma, geriatric, cardiac or pediatric emergency medicine.
The Benefits of Becoming a Male Nurse
Practical reasons (financial incentives and job security) and altruistic reasons (compassion and a drive to help others) motivate men into nursing careers. Here are a few benefits men in nursing enjoy.
Salary Potential
Nurses make a comfortable living, with the average salary for male nurses in 2022 being $89,152, according to Data USA. This is even more true for nurses who specialize or pursue an advanced degree.
In 2022, male nurse anesthetists reportedly made an average salary of $227,062. These salaries vary by location and experience, but nurses are well compensated nationwide for their hard work and dedication.
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that from 2022 to 2032, the nursing field is expected to grow by 6%, faster than the average for any other occupation. This growth is predicted to create about 193,100 new registered nursing openings each year over the decade.
The BLS attributes these openings to turnover in the labor force, such as retirees or career transitions to more passive roles. As the nursing field prepares to welcome a new generation of nurses, there has never been a better time for men to pursue a career in nursing.
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Broad Range of Competencies
Nurses tackle many responsibilities as a part of their daily duties. They educate patients on treatments and home therapies, develop complex treatment plans, attend to patient needs and deliver practical medical care.
Few other professions can claim such an expansive scope of skills and competencies. Beyond the standard duties for the role, nurses can pursue specialties that guide their abilities to fit a particular niche. Such variety in your daily routine keeps the job interesting over the long term; you never know what the day will bring at the start of your shift.
Advancement Opportunities
There are plenty of specialties for male nurses to aim for, but some nurses continue their education to pursue an advanced position. Most advanced roles require a Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice, depending on the technical knowledge and experience needed to practice in your chosen profession. A BSN allows students to enter the field and pursue future educational opportunities like advanced degrees.
Acquiring positions in advanced roles takes time and dedication to ensure every candidate is qualified, but the career rewards those who persevere. Positions such as nurse practitioner, chief of nursing or nurse anesthetist earn more on average and enjoy more flexibility and freedom in their practice than standard RNs.
Jumpstart Your Nursing Career at Marian University
In Marian University’s ABSN program, we support you during your nursing education. Through our online coursework, nursing labs and clinical rotations, you will graduate fully prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. Your admissions advisor will be there every step of the admissions process to answer any questions, help you prepare your application and ensure you’ve completed any prerequisite requirements.
To begin your nursing journey, contact us, and an admissions advisor will reach out to you regarding the next steps.