A Closer Look at Discrimination Against Male Nurses

Chances are that you have heard about male nurse discrimination. You yourself may have even been one of the people to discriminate against a male nurse, even if it was not directly to their face. This type of discrimination can be as little as you asking, "Why would a man want to become a nurse? That's not a man's job." On the other end of the spectrum, male nurse discrimination can be as serious as you switching doctors because you know that your physician has mainly hired male nurses and you refuse to receive nursing care from a man. This article's purpose is to explore why male nurse stereotype and discrimination has came to exist.

Percentage of Male Nurses in the Medical Field

The percentage of male nurses who are currently employed in the medical field is about six percent, according to the American Nurses Association. The good news, however, is that the number of men who are attending school in order to become nurses is on the rise. This is mainly due to the fact that nursing makes an excellent career for those who want a higher paying job with good benefits. One of the main reasons that there may be such discrimination against male nurses is because it is not something that we see very often. Can you count how many times you have had a female nurse? Probably not. What about how many times you have had a male nurse on one hand? Maybe on a few fingers, but probably not on your entire hand. People tend to find something "wrong" with things that they are not used to. Since receiving care from a male nurse is typically not the norm, it is likely that this is why there is such discrimination against male nurses.

It May Depend on the Medical Area Men Wish to Work in