Male Nursing Stereotypes Still Exists
Only women’s professional basketball has a higher ratio of female to male employees. Women still continue to dominate the profession of nursing. Out of over 2 million nurses, only around five percent of those are male. Men who work in nursing now say that while things are still a bit rough around the edges, the overall attitude towards men in nursing is positive.
Men in nursing have had to face some serious stereotyping in the past. Nursing was seen as a job only suitable for females. The first nursing clinics were started in convents, so that almost makes sense. Economics have been a big factor towards reducing this stereotype. The field of nursing employs over 2 million professionals, and they are still facing severe nursing shortages in almost every state of the country. Job prospects for nursing are great, there are no limit to the jobs a trained nurse can get. So it only makes sense as more men are laid off, that they take up a career with some future potential.
Not only have men had to beat the stereotype that they were doing a woman’s job, many male nurses say that another stereotype they face a lot is that of the gay male nurse. A lot of that is because most nurses are female, and any man working with them has to be in touch with their feminine side. It is also said that since nursing is such a subordinate profession, any man who works as a nurse must like being told what to do.
All of the above is patently not true, but society is sometimes slow to see which way the wind is blowing. At least in the United States it is generally accepted, in other countries men are subjected to ridicule and a lot worse than that.
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