Closing The Gender Gap Increasing Numbers Of Men Are Changing The Face Of Nursing

Bill Lynch’s mom is a nurse. So are his wife and two daughters.

 

It was just a couple of years ago that Lynch, a researcher at MIT, started to think they may be on to something. He left his job and went back to college to study nursing; he’s now a sophomore beginning his first clinical experience.

And he’s not alone in this career path.

Lynch, currently enrolled in the BSN program at American International College, is an apt representation of one of the fastest growing sets of nursing students today – men working in other fields who choose to hit the pause button in their careers and pursue jobs in field that, a decade ago, they may not have considered. Their reasons are many – some are entering the profession years after it first caught their eye; others only recently discovered the varied and abundant career opportunities that nursing offers.

But what binds them together is their new designation as ‘non-traditional students;’ 75{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of male nursing students are re-entering college after some time in the workforce, and their numbers are still relatively small compared to women, who are also capitalizing on the ongoing shortage within the field and the excellent – and often lucrative – career options that nursing creates.

Mary Tarbell, director of nursing at Springfield Technical Community College, said the numbers of male students applying to STCC’s nursing program are steadily increasing, and the reasons for the rise are similar among men and women: job security, a strong, steady income, diverse career choices, and plenty of opportunities for advancement.

In recent years, Tarbell has seen a number of men make the transition into nursing from a diverse set of careers – some within the health care and public safety fields, such as EMTs or certified nurse assistants, but several others from very different areas, including law enforcement, upper management, and information technology.
“So many fields are seeing huge lay-offs,” she said, “and this is one that almost guarantees a solid income and great incentives. Without a doubt, more and more men are realizing that and going for it.”

Indeed, with employment ads promising starting salaries that can reach upwards of $75,000 plus benefits, advancement opportunities, and, often, the option to pursue advanced nursing degrees at the employer’s expense, nursing programs at colleges across the state are seeing record numbers of applications. And in turn, the nursing playing field, though still female-dominated, is seeing signs of leveling.

Moving Men

And that trend is doing wonders to dispel – or at least lessen – the long-standing stereotype that only women should be nurses, and any men within the field are aberrations.

“As the respect for the field increases, so do the numbers of men pursuing nursing jobs,” Tarbell said, flipping through a trade magazine’s classified section. “This magazine is loaded with great jobs with amazing salaries. That’s enough right there to address the stigma that there’s something wrong with any man who wants to be a nurse.”

That’s not to say that predisposed notions regarding nursing don’t still exist; men like Lynch enrolled in nursing programs deal with a unique set of challenges each day, including those that often face older or non-traditional students – as well as constant misconceptions as to why they entered the field.

Bryan Perry, a sophomore within AIC’s BSN program, said some common assumptions are that men only enter the field because of the potential for high salaries or management positions, or because nursing curricula are easy – a belief that any nursing student will take issue with.

He said he rarely gets a snicker or an unkind word when he explains his nursing ambitions, but, he said, “there is still a pause.”

A flight medic for the U.S. Air Force, Perry said he first started considering a career in nursing after working long hours alongside nurses in the military, seeing firsthand their duties and responsibilities. He said he suspects he has to spend a longer period of time explaining his career choice than most women would, but said the professional options he’ll have after college far outweigh any prejudice.

Fellow AIC nursing students Lynch, Jason French, and Mike Flanary agreed, but all four were quick to note that preparation for a career in nursing is no cake walk with a high-paying job at the end of the road.

“In this program, you’re only as good as your next exam,” said Lynch. “And once you’re working in the field, the salaries may be higher than some, but they are for jobs where everyday is the Superbowl.

The schedule is crazy and the risk is huge.”

“I made the decision to go back to school because of the job market,” added Flanary, currently employed as an orderly.

“But it’s also giving me more options in a career I enjoy.”

French, currently an EMT with a long-standing interest in nursing, added that men often feel they have something to prove in regard to their validity within the profession.

“I think that’s why a lot of us originally got into specialties,” he said, citing his own aspiration to secure a position as a nurse anesthetist. “I absolutely think a lot of men in nursing gravitate toward technical jobs. You almost feel as though you have to. But that’s not to say that men aren’t as caring as women – it’s just a different career path to start off on.”

Scrubbing Up

But ‘proving themselves’ as valuable additions to a predominantly female profession has also created some positive side-effects for both students and potential employers. Because they are generally older and usually investing considerable resources into a career change, like all returning students, many prospective male nurses rise to the top of the class, further disproving the notion that they are simply cashing in on the demand of the market, and also serving as mentors to younger students.

“To be a nurse, you need discipline, focus, and maturity. Because of the sheer volume of work, you could hang yourself in this program by slacking off,” said Lynch. “I don’t think any of us are about to do that.”