At one time, nursing was a virtually all-female profession. Even as late as 1970, men comprised less than 3 percent of the total number of registered nurses.
Their numbers grew slowly but steadily over the next few decades, and by the turn of the millennium, the number of male nurses had nearly quadrupled.
Today, the proportion of men in nursing is nearing 10 percent, and it’s no longer unusual to see male nurses in hospitals these days.
Why Men Enter Nursing
According to a survey conducted by the American Assembly for Men in Nursing, men come to the profession for the same reasons as women: they want to help people and make a meaningful contribution to society, and in addition, nursing offers financial security, good benefits, multiple career paths, opportunities for advancement, and scheduling flexibility.
The same survey showed that men still find challenges in entering the field of nursing. Such challenges include:
- Persistent gender stereotypes
- Limited male role models and mentors
- Lack of recruitment efforts at the high school and early college level.
The respondents reported that these challenges could be overcome, however, and the ever-increasing numbers of men entering nursing school (and, ultimately, nursing careers) attests to that. Now is a better time than ever for men seeking a career in nursing.
Different Genders, Same Great Benefits
No matter whether you’re a man or a woman, one great benefit of a nursing career, as RTG Medical travelers will tell you, is that nursing positions are available everywhere. A nurse can choose to locate in whatever community appeals to him or her, and be reasonably confident of finding work in the field.
And, of course, there’s travel nursing. It’s a rare profession that provides the opportunity to travel around the country, see new places, and experience new things while earning money rather than spending it. In fact, travel nursing jobs are generally more lucrative than traditional permanent nursing positions. This is certainly a quality that appeals to any nurse, no matter what gender.
We’re Always Looking for Good Nurses
Just like we have gender diversity among our RTG Medical recruiters, we also both have male and female medical travelers—so if you’re a male nurse, you’ll be in good company.
We’re all about finding the best person for the job and the best job for the person, and RTG Medical has nursing positions available all over the country. So no matter who you are or where you come from, we’ll work hard to place you in assignments that suit your preferences.
Contact our staffing specialists to find out more: 866-RTG-2DAY (784-2329).
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photo credit: World Bank Photo Collection via photopin cc
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