MFMHistorically, nursing has been a female-dominated profession. However, with an increased focus on gender equality across society, more and more men see the benefits of training as a nurse and find it a rewarding career option for them. So take a look at some reasons why nursing might just be the profession for you.
More men are becoming nurses
In March 2020, Dispatch reported that the four central hospitals in Ohio had all increased the number of male nurses employed, and, nationwide, there has been an increase in the ratio of male nurses.
As more men become nurses, it makes it much easier for the new male nurses to enter the profession because they will have peers in a similar situation to themselves who they can look to for guidance and support.
Plus, as more male nurses are employed, it reduces the stigma attached to the idea, encouraging more male nurses to train.
There’s greater demand for male nurses
Patients in medical facilities are reassured by the presence of someone of their own gender. It may help male patients to feel more represented if there are more male-identifying nurses available, which will help to lower stress and increase wellbeing – which is an essential part of healthcare.
Many male patients would also prefer to have a male nurse help them with more sensitive procedures such as inserting a catheter or even helping them with going to the bathroom.
Flexible training options
As online education grows in popularity, the offerings that are available to students increase in quality. This means that it’s possible for men who want to train as nurses to access the same level of education online as they could in person.
For men who already have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, it’s possible to complete an online ABSN in just 16 months, minimizing the disruption to working life and opening up a new career path in a short amount of time.
Online learning means that students can choose how and when they learn, which often means better outcomes. For example, if you are a person who works better in the evenings, you have greater freedom to design your study around this requirement if you attend an online course than if you were to study in person. This means that you are more likely to retain information and be able to apply it in a meaningful way. Many students who have studied online value the insight that organizing their own study routine gives them into how they work best, too.
Online nursing courses will offer you links to clinical placements, so you can gain all of the hands-on experience you will need to gain licensure and feel confident when you get started on your new career path.
Scholarships for men in nursing
There are lots of initiatives to encourage more men to join the nursing profession because the need for male nurses is recognized as important.
For example, the AAMN (American Association for Men in Nursing) offers multiple scholarships which can help you with the cost of training as a nurse.
Scholarships are a huge help because it means that you won’t have to worry quite so much about being left with a student debt to repay once you qualify.
Nursing is well paid
Nursing is a career path with a high starting salary and the opportunity to increase your earning potential as you progress throughout your career.
The average salary for male nurses is $84,000 annually, which is much higher than the average salary in other professions.
Nurses are usually paid a competitive salary as soon as they begin work, and their pay will be increased as they gain more experience and knowledge.
The salary you can expect to take home as a nurse will vary depending on a few factors:
- Where in the country you work. Certain areas of the country will pay more than others because the pay is often determined by funding which is partly determined at the state level. Therefore, it’s worth ascertaining what the average salary for nurses in your state is to give yourself an idea of your earning potential.
- Rural or city location. Demand for nurses is often higher in large city hospitals than in smaller rural healthcare organizations, which is generally reflected in the pay.
- Specialization. Once you have worked as an RN (registered nurse) for a while, you will have the opportunity to specialize in a field of medicine. For example, you might decide to become a cardiac nurse. Different specialties will command different salary expectations.
Job stability
The demand for nurses is expected to grow substantially over the next ten years. Factors like the aging population and an increasing prevalence of chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes mean that more nurses will be needed, so training as a nurse will mean that you are practically guaranteed job stability.
Registered Nurses also have the opportunity to continue their training to work in other fields related to nursing.
For example, the need for nurses means that there is increased demand for nurse training programs, which need to be staffed by qualified nurse educators. Although, as a nurse educator, you wouldn’t be involved in clinical work, your role would be to help shape the careers of newly qualified nurses.
Nurses can also go on to become nurse practitioners who have a similar level of authority when it comes to patient care as physicians do and can even open their own healthcare practices in some states. Nurse Practitioners have a high level of responsibility which comes with high remuneration – the average salary for nurse practitioners is $117,670.
High possibility of promotion
Because there are comparatively so few men in the nursing profession, the chances of promotion are much higher for male nurses than in other professions.
This means that you can ascend through the ranks much more quickly as a nurse than you might in other healthcare professions, which are more typically populated by men.