Men in nursing often bristle when they are referred to as ‘male nurses’. After all, nowadays it’s rare (and perhaps offensive) to hear someone talking about the ‘female doctor’ or ‘female lawyer’. Still, it can’t be denied that just as medicine and law were once, and to some extent, still are considered as careers for men, nursing is also known to be a female-dominated profession.
Putting aside the lingering stereotypes however, one would be hard-pressed to find any reason why men shouldn’t seriously consider a career in nursing and be counted among the few male nurses there are at the moment. On the other hand, here are 5 reasons why being a male RN could be a boon rather than a bane.
1. Job Stability
There is a shortage of nurses in practically all states across the country, some more pronounced than others. And with more people aging and the baby boomers going into retirement, the need will only escalate. That should keep most qualified nurses happily employed, while people in other industries are in constant fear of losing their jobs.
2. Great Income
According to the website PayScale.com, the median annual salary for registered nurses in the country as of January 2011 ranges from $46,000 to $66,000. And with over 100,000 nursing vacancies in hospitals and other work settings in the US, you can be sure that these figures will increase fast within the next few years.
3. Numerous Career Advancement Opportunities
Once individuals enter the nursing field, there are many opportunities to advance their career prospects. They can pursue post-baccalaureate studies and upgrade their training to qualify for several nursing specialty areas. With experience and leadership qualities, they can also rise to administrative positions in hospitals and other health care facilities.
4. High Job Satisfaction
Being in the medical field which is a highly respected one, has also upped the level of self-esteem of practicing RNs. True, the hospital may not exactly be a stress-free environment and the odd hours may not sit well with all, but many nurses report a higher-than-average job satisfaction rate.
5. Nursing Is Not Unmanly
Men who are interested in this field should know that there is nothing remotely “unmasculine” about nursing. In fact, male nurses were the norm in the Middle Ages and among the most popular primary care givers at that time were the Knights Hospitallers and the Teutonic Knights.
So while the term “male nurses” may be something of a misnomer these days, the fact remains that men are a welcome addition to the industry.
