Nursing’s unique position as a profession dominated historically by women means that while gender balance has been sought in professions once closed to women, nursing has made little effort to do the same.
Men have equality of access, so it would be wrong to paint this as discrimination. But is that enough when there has been a failure to challenge the view of nursing as a woman’s job?
Allied health professions have made strides towards equality, yet nursing still uses the titles ‘matron’ and ‘sister’.
Archaic practices
Even in training, archaic practices continue. One university restricts its best nursing student award to female students. Is it any wonder just 10% of
UK nurses are men and many wards remain staffed entirely by women?
Women make up 90% of nursing students. Is it right in 2016 for wards that treat male patients (in some cases exclusively) to have no male nurses?
Is it truly patient-centred care to have a profession so far removed from its patient demographic?
Every year across the UK women apply in droves to enter nursing, and the issues that put off their male counterparts are not being addressed.
It is essential that male recruits are encouraged from an early age, and the outdated attitudes that stop men pursuing a career in nursing are challenged.
Other professions have changed while nursing has rested on its laurels.
Physiotherapy has gone from 5% men to 20%, and while in primary schools only 12% of teachers are men, one in fi ve teaching graduates is male.
Meanwhile, medicine is predicted to be a majority female profession by 2017.
Change is happening all around, but nursing has been left behind.
The profession can be reshaped by highlighting and celebrating the countless men in nursing, and ditching gendered uniforms and dressing-up costumes for children.
By providing male mentors at school talks and involving male nurses in open days and recruitment, it can be made cleat that there are more male nurses than just Charlie from Casualty.
It is important to demonstrate to the public and potential recruits that nursing, while proud of its female heritage, is a job for men and women.