Men in nursing

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A U.S. Navy nurse attends to a child. US Navy 031027-N-0000W-001 Family Nurse Practitioner Lt. Cmdr. Michael Service cares for a young girl at the U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Yokosuka.jpg
A U.S. Navy nurse attends to a child.

Nursing is a profession which is staffed unproportionately by women in most parts of the world. [1] [2] [3] According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2020 State of the World's Nursing, approximately 10% of the worldwide nursing workforce is male. [2] Since the 1960s, nursing has gradually become more gender-inclusive. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in the United States conducted a National Nursing Workforce Survey in 2020 and found that men represent 9.4% of registered nurses, compared to 9.1% in 2017, 8% in 2015, and 6.6% in 2013.

Contents

Men constituted around 9% of nurses in the United States in 2011, [4] around 10% in the United Kingdom in 2016, [5] around 6.4% in Canada in 2010. [6] In Scandinavia, about 10% of nurses in Norway were men in 2022, [7] with the same percentage in Sweden in 2016, [8] and 4% in Denmark in 2023. [9]

History

While the current structure of the medical field does not directly translate to historical provision of care, there is a history of male presence in the caring of the sick and injured. The term nosocomial originates from the Greek Νοσος, nosos'sickness' and Κομεω, komeo'to care'. The word nosocomi was Latinized and was given to male caregivers, meaning that male nurses were prominent in Ancient Rome. [10] During the plagues that swept through Europe, male nurses were also the primary caregivers. In the third century, men in the Parabolani brotherhood created a hospital and provided nursing care. [11] The Codex Theodosianus of 416 (xvi, 2, 42) restricted the enrollment on male nurses in Alexandria to 500. [12]

In the 14th century, the Alexian brothers existed as a Christian religious congregation with strong emphasis on care for the infirmed. [10] Following a conversion to Christianity, John of God provided care for people who were both physically and mentally ill. He notably challenged the stigmas associated with mental illness. [13] Later, he founded the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God, which continues to care for patients to this day.

Reasons for low representation

There are several reasons suggested for a low rates of nursing by males: stereotypes of nursing, lack of male interest in the profession, low pay, nursing job titles such as sister and matron , and the perception that male nurses will have difficulty in the workplace carrying out their duties. [14] It is argued by the Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing that the "continuing stereotyping" of male nurses is the main reason for low intake. [5] Selected studies have showed that low representation of male nurses is due to concerns that their touch when providing care would be misinterpreted and result in accusations of sexual inappropriateness. [15] Another reason is lack of encouragement to pursue the occupation: men lack encouragement from other male nurses or nursing students because there are too few of them.[ citation needed ] Men also report that there are no other men in nursing classes, and at times are discouraged from participating in all student activities.[ citation needed ]

Men are not underrepresented in nursing in every country. A majority of nurses are male in many countries in Francophone Africa. [3]

Efforts to increase representation

Unlike the campaigns and groups set up to increase and promote women's opportunities in medicine, [16] [17] surgery, [18] engineering [19] and computer science, [20] there have been no comparable campaigns to increase the number of males in nursing. One way to increase the rate of male nurses could be for nurse educators and nursing curriculum developers to enhance and promote a gender-neutral stance in nursing practice which reduces men in nursing being seen as unique.[ citation needed ] Another strategy could be to consider a professional title that is mutually accepted by both women and men in nursing, which can lead to reducing men as a gendered minority.[ citation needed ] Another way could be for schools to implement educational programs that increase cultural sensitivity, decrease stereotyping, develop skills for working in multicultural environments, and compare and contrast male and female communication styles.[ citation needed ]

In Northern Ireland, a campaign ran by Queen's University has been aimed at getting more males interested in nursing, with varying levels of success. [5] [21]

Professional life

While there are low numbers of male nurses, no research thus far has indicated that they suffer in their career. Pay disparity results in male nurses earning more than their female counterparts, mainly from taking on more shifts and working overtime. Anecdotal evidence suggests that male nurses are more likely to be fast-tracked into management positions. [22] Furthermore, a report into the role of men in nursing found there to be more focus on human caring amongst male nurses. [23]

Timelines

United Kingdom

The Society of Registered Male Nurses [24] merged with the RCN (Royal College of Nursing) in 1941.

After the Second World War, large numbers of male nurses moved into the workforce as they were demobilised after the war and had gained medical experience. In 1951 the male nurses joined the main nursing register.

In 2004 the percentage of male nurses was 10.63% and has increased to 10.69% in 2008, [25] then to 11.4% in 2016. [5]

In 2015 there were 103 male midwives on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) nursing register, compared to 31,189 women. [26]

United States

In 2008, of the 3,063,163 licensed registered nurses in the United States only 6.6% were men. [27] Men make up only 13% of all new nursing students. [28]

Nursing schools for men were common in the United States until the early 1900s. More than half of those offering paid nursing services to the ill and injured were men. Yet by 1930, men constituted fewer than 1% of Registered Nurses (RNs) in the United States. [29] As they found other, more lucrative occupations, they left nursing behind. [30]

In 1955, the United States Congress revised the Army-Navy Nurses Act of 1947 to allow for the commissioning of men into military nursing corps. [31]

The American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN) was founded in 1971. The purpose of the AAMN is to provide a framework for nurses as a group to meet, discuss, and influence factors that affect men as nurses. [32]

In Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan , 458 U.S. 718 (1982), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that Mississippi University for Women's single sex admissions policy for its nursing school violated the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the landmark opinion.

Many nurses portrayed in U.S. television and film are female, and equality advocates complain about the frequency with which nurses are used for sexual interest, are invisible to the story, or when heroic male doctors are portrayed performing functions that would realistically be performed by a nurse. [33] A 2012 study of 13 male nurse characters in films found most were portrayed as incompetent, corrupt, effeminate, or homosexual. [33]

Notable men in nursing

Walt Whitman and his male nurse Fritzenger (July 1890). Whitman, Walt (1819-1892) and his male nurse Fritzenger..JPG
Walt Whitman and his male nurse Fritzenger (July 1890).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal College of Nursing</span> British union for nurses

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is a registered trade union and professional body in the United Kingdom for those in the profession of nursing. It was founded in 1916 as the College of Nursing, receiving its royal charter in 1928. Queen Elizabeth II was the patron until her death in 2022, King Charles III continued the royal connection and became patron in 2024. The majority of members are registered nurses; however student nurses and healthcare assistants are also members. There is also a category of membership, at a reduced cost, for retired people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink-collar worker</span> Someone working in the care-oriented career field

A pink-collar worker is someone working in the care-oriented career field or in fields historically considered to be women's work. This may include jobs in the beauty industry, nursing, social work, teaching, secretarial work, or child care. While these jobs may also be filled by men, they have historically been female-dominated and may pay significantly less than white-collar or blue-collar jobs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stereotypes of nurses</span> Stereotypes related to nurses

A stereotype is a widely held and fixed notion of a specific type of person and is often oversimplified and can be offensive. Stereotypes of people and groups are harmful, especially when they lack factual information. Nursing as a profession has been stereotyped throughout history. The stereotypes given to nursing as well as women in nursing has been well documented. A common misconception is that all nurses are female; this misconception has led to the emergence of another stereotype that male nurses are effeminate. These generalized perceptions of the nursing profession have aided in the misrepresentation of nurses in the media as well as the mischaracterization of nurses in the eyes of the public. The image of a nurse depicted by the media is typically of a female being over-sexualized as well as diminished intellectually. This notion is then portrayed in get-well cards, television, film and books. The over-sexualized nurse is commonly referred to as a naughty nurse and is often seen as a sex symbol or nymphomaniac. Along with these common stereotypes, studies have identified several other popular images used in media such as handmaiden, angel, torturer, homosexual male, alcoholic, buffoon and woman in white. Common stereotypes of nursing and portrayal of these misrepresentations have fueled a discussion on the effects they have on the profession.

Nursing in the United Kingdom is the largest health care profession in the country. It has evolved from assisting doctors to encompass a variety of professional roles. Over 700,000 nurses practice, working in settings such as hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, hospices, communities, military, prisons, and academia. Most are employed by the National Health Service (NHS).

Justus Akinbayo Akinsanya, FRCN was a nurse, human biologist, nurse educator and researcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nursing in Australia</span> Overview of nursing in Australia

Nursing in Australia is a healthcare profession. Nurses and midwives form the majority (54%) of Australian health care professionals. Nurses are either registered or enrolled. Registered nurses have broader and deeper education than enrolled nurses. Nurse practitioners complete a yet higher qualification. Nurses are not limited to working in hospitals, instead working in a variety of settings. Australian nurses are in demand as traveling nurses, particularly those with advanced qualifications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in the workforce</span> All women who perform some kind of job

Since the Industrial Revolution, participation of women in the workforce outside the home has increased in industrialized nations, with particularly large growth seen in the 20th century. Largely seen as a boon for industrial society, women in the workforce contribute to a higher national economic output as measure in GDP as well as decreasing labor costs by increasing the labor supply in a society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupational sexism</span> Discrimination based on the sex in a place of employment

Occupational sexism is discrimination based on a person's sex that occurs in a place of employment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nursing</span> Health care profession

Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alleviation of suffering through compassionate presence". Nurses practice in many specialties with varying levels of certification and responsibility. Nurses comprise the largest component of most healthcare environments. There are shortages of qualified nurses in many countries.

Women's work is a field of labour assumed to be solely the realm of women and associated with specific stereotypical jobs considered as uniquely feminine or domestic duties throughout history. It is most commonly used in reference to the unpaid labor typically performed by that of a mother or wife to upkeep the home and children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminisation of the workplace</span> The trend towards broader inclusive modes of working

The feminization of the workplace is the feminization, or the shift in gender roles and sex roles and the incorporation of women into a group or a profession once dominated by men, as it relates to the workplace. It is a set of social theories seeking to explain occupational gender-related discrepancies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in engineering</span> Women in the academic and professional fields of engineering

Women are often under-represented in the academic and professional fields of engineering; however, many women have contributed to the diverse fields of engineering historically and currently. A number of organizations and programs have been created to understand and overcome this tradition of gender disparity. Some have decried this gender gap, saying that it indicates the absence of potential talent. Though the gender gap as a whole is narrowing, there is still a growing gap with minority women compared to their white counterparts. Gender stereotypes, low rates of female engineering students, and engineering culture are factors that contribute to the current situation where men dominate in fields relating to engineering sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in STEM fields</span> Female participants in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

Many scholars and policymakers have noted that the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have remained predominantly male with historically low participation among women since the origins of these fields in the 18th century during the Age of Enlightenment.

The American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) is a professional organization for nurses that works to improve gender inclusion in nursing profession. The AAMN runs an annual award scheme which aims to recognize contributions made to the profession.

The history of nursing in the United Kingdom relates to the development of the profession since the 1850s. The history of nursing itself dates back to ancient history, when the sick were cared for in temples and places of worship. In the early Christian era, nursing in the United Kingdom was undertaken by certain women in the Christian Church, their services being extended to patients in their homes. These women had no real training by today's standards, but experience taught them valuable skills, especially in the use of herbs and folk drugs, and some gained fame as the physicians of their era. Remnants of the religious nature of nurses remains in Britain today, especially with the retention of the job title "Sister" for a senior female nurse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in nursing</span>

Historically, women have made up a large majority of the profession and academic discipline of nursing. Women's nursing roles include both caring for patients and making sure that the wards and equipment are clean. In the United States, women make up the majority of the field of nursing, comprising 86% of Registered Nurses (RNs) in 2021; globally, women comprise 89% of the nursing workforce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midwife</span> Medical professional who practices obstetrics as a health science

A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialisation known as midwifery.

The term "glass escalator" was introduced by Christine L. Williams in her article "The Glass Escalator: Hidden Advantages for Men in the "Female" Professions" published in August 1992. The glass escalator refers to the way men, namely heterosexual white men, are put on a fast track to advanced positions when entering primarily female-dominated professions. It is most present in "pink collar" professions, such as those in hands-on healthcare work or school teaching. Feminized care professions often pay lower wages than stereotypically male professions, but males experience a phenomenon in which they earn higher wages and have faster career mobility when they enter feminine careers. This idea is akin to the more well-known idea of the glass ceiling, which explains the reality that women face when they fail to advance in the workplace. However, it has been found that men of minority backgrounds do not reap the same benefits of the glass escalator as men in the majority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gender discrimination in the medical professions</span> Gender discrimination against female clinicians within the health profession

Gender discrimination in health professions refers to the entire culture of bias against female clinicians, expressed verbally through derogatory and aggressive comments, lower pay and other forms of discriminatory actions from predominantly male peers. These women face difficulties in their work environment as a result of a largely male dominated positions of power within the medical field as well as initial biases presented in the hiring process, but not limited to promotions.

Alison Leary is a Chair of Healthcare & Workforce Modelling at London South Bank University. and a Senior Consultant, World Health Organization Human Resources for Health Group. She works on the modelling of private and public healthcare systems. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and Queen's Nursing Institute.

References

  1. ↑ "Why are there so few men in nursing?". Nursing Times. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  2. 1 2 "State of the World's Nursing 2020" (PDF). World Health Organization. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 O'Lynn, Chad E.; Tranbarger, Russell E. (2006). Men in Nursing: History, Challenges, and Opportunities. Springer Publishing Company. p. 225. ISBN   978-0-8261-0349-9.
  4. ↑ Landivar, Liana Christin (2013). "Men in Nursing Occupations" (PDF). Census. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-07-13. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Rachel (1 March 2017). "Why are there so few male nurses?". The Guardian.
  6. ↑ Canadian Nurses Association (February 2012). "2010 Workforce Profile of Registered Nurses in Canada" (PDF). Canadian Nurses Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  7. ↑ Karlsmoen, Renate (2022-01-04). "Aldri har flere menn vært sykepleiere". Sykepleien (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  8. ↑ Ejd, Maria (2016-12-01). "Fortfarande få män som väljer att bli sjuksköterska". Vårdfokus (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  9. ↑ Klinker Stephensen, Emma (2023-05-27). "Flere kvindelige topchefer i det offentlige – men få mænd vil være sygeplejersker og sosu'er". TV2 (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  10. 1 2 "Men in Nursing Historical Timeline". allnurses.com. 25 February 2005. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  11. ↑ "Men and Nursing". menstuff.org.
  12. ↑ Parabolani: from Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
  13. ↑ Forkan, Donatus (2010). "About us" (PDF). St John of God Hospitaller. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-29.
  14. ↑ Prideaux, Antony (December 2010). "Male nurses and the protection of female patient dignity". Nursing Standard. 25 (13): 42–49. doi:10.7748/ns2010.12.25.13.42.c8121. PMID   21207825.
  15. ↑ Whiteside, James; Butcher, Dan (26 March 2015). "'Not a job for a man': factors in the use of touch by male nursing staff". British Journal of Nursing. 24 (6): 335–341. doi:10.12968/bjon.2015.24.6.335. PMID   25815825.
  16. ↑ "Home - Medical Women's Federation". medicalwomensfederation.org.uk.
  17. ↑ "GMC - Women's role in medicine is growing". gmc-uk.org.
  18. ↑ "Women in Surgery". rcseng.ac.uk.
  19. ↑ "Engineers Canada's advocacy for women in the engineering profession". 2016-05-19. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  20. ↑ "Girls Who Code -- Join 185,000 Girls Who Code today!". Join the Girls Who Code Movement. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  21. ↑ "Operation Male Nurse - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  22. ↑ "Women outnumber them 10:1. So why do male nurses get paid more?". nursingtimes.net. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  23. ↑ Harding, T (November 2009). "Swimming against the malestream: men choosing nursing as a career". Nursing Praxis in New Zealand Inc. 25 (3): 4–16. PMID   20157956.
  24. ↑ "Our history". rcn.org.uk. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-04. Retrieved 2014-10-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. ↑ "No job for a man? Meet the male midwives". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  27. ↑ "Home - Minority Nurse". Minority Nurse.
  28. ↑ Chung, Vicki. "Men in Nursing". minoritynurse.com.
  29. ↑ "CBSi". FindArticles.com. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  30. ↑ Occupational Segregation and the Devaluation of Women's Work across U.S. Labor Markets, Cohen, Philip N., Huffman, Matt L., Social Forces, Volume 81, Number 3, March 2003, pp. 881-908, The University of North Carolina Press.
  31. ↑ "Public Law 294-Aug. 9, 1955" (PDF). Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  32. ↑ "American Assembly for Men in Nursing - AAMN". aamn.org.
  33. 1 2 "How Nurses Are Portrayed in Film and Television". 2 May 2014.
  34. ↑ Male Nurses Break Through Barriers to Diversify Profession
  35. ↑ "Forget About the Stigma": Male Nurses Explain Why Nursing Is a Job of the Future for Men
  36. ↑ "Royal College of Nursing, Fellows". RCN. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2006-10-20.
  37. ↑ O'Carroll, Lisa (2014-09-09). "William Pooley plans return to the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone". The Guardian.

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