The nursing workforce is in crisis, and hospitals throughout the U.S. are looking for creative ways to attract more nurses today and beef up their talent pipelines so there will be a steady stream of new nurses on the horizon.
One idea, said more than 30 male nurses who spoke with Becker's, is to look to what should be an obvious untapped resource — men.
The American Nurses Association says of the 4.3 million registered nurses in the U.S., only 13 percent are men .
Increasing the number of male nurses could have a significant impact on the healthcare industry, according to the ANA.
Jeffrey Heist MSN, RN, chief nursing officer and manager of utilization review/case management at the Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery in Lima, Ohio, said there is no better time than right now to make a concerted effort to attract men into the profession.
"Showing the occasional male nurse in college admission photos or on scrub magazines is not enough," he said, adding that recruiters need to "get into schools to address young male students and help them realize that being a nurse is not just a profession for women."
Overcoming gender stereotypes should be a top priority, said Stanley Waryck, RN, director of nursing services at the City of Hope Phoenix, if healthcare facilities want to encourage more men to become nurses. He said male high school students are definitely an untapped resource, but they need to be shown how they can fit into the role. "Nursing's advertising/reach to the male population is subtle and walks a fine line between integrity and pandering."
Further, efforts are needed to convey the truth to men about what nursing is all about because, as Alan Howard, PhD, RN, certified emergency nurse and assistant professor of nursing at York College of Pennsylvania, said. "A man's mental picture of what working as a nurse looks like may not be based in reality. Nursing is not a one-size-fits-all profession; it is much too big for that."
Becker's spoke with male nurses to learn what they think hospitals and nursing schools need to do to recruit more men into the profession.
Editor's note: These responses have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
Question: What can be done to encourage more men to enter the nursing profession?
1. Get the word out!
Sean Bastian-Bennett, BSN, RN. Charge Nurse at Memorial Hermann (Houston): Promoting how well-respected the nursing profession is, and highlighting how beneficial the male nursing role can be, would hopefully bring in more male nurses.
Justin Bowser, MS, RN. Clinical Nursing Director of Medical Surgical, Neuro and Wound Ostomy Departments at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (Annapolis, Md.): There needs to be a stronger sense of awareness and facts about men in nursing, as well as campaigns to increase male nurses are all helpful tools to help grow the trend of male nurses.
Mark Cvengros-Edens, BSN, RN. City of Hope Atlanta: Colleges could improve their nursing programs to be more inclusive of males and the different opportunities nursing has for them. Hospital systems could promote male nursing roles at information sessions, meet and greets, etc.
Stephen Romas, RN. Strong Memorial Hospital (Rochester, N.Y.): Social media and entertainment media need to continue to depict more male nurses, and other diverse populations of nurses as well to show that everyone is accepted and appreciated in this field.
2. Promote the benefits
Andrew Dubongco, BSN, RN. Intensive Care Unit at NYU Langone Hospital (New York City): Financial stability is the main draw for male nurses. Also, changing the media landscape on male nurses could encourage more men with the skills and emotional capacity to be nurses.
Merrill Mathew, MSN, RN. Director of Patient Care Services at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital (New York City): Advertise the advantages of the profession in a purposeful manner. It would be good to advertise the variety of nursing specializations, opportunities for career advancement, increased salary potential, high acuity patients, and flexibility. Another benefit is going into a career with high demand because you are certain to gain employment.
Layne Mistretta, MSN, RN. Corporate Senior Director of Clinical Education and Professional Development at LCMC Health System (New Orleans): Promote the gender-neutral opportunities of nursing as a profession, which include consistent work, lucrative salaries, opportunity for growth, promotion and travel.
Bryan Overman, BSN, RN-BC. Senior Director of Nursing Professional Practice, Development and Quality at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (Lanham, Md.): Nursing is a career that can take you nearly anywhere with a variety of work like no other profession. The possibilities are endless.
3. And the opportunities
Jeffy John, RN. NICU Nurse at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital (Houston): If someone is interested, they should be made aware of the many different units to work in as a bedside nurse. They may prefer the fast pace and critical thinking that an emergency department or intensive care unit has to offer. Some may choose a department because of personal experiences with family members who received treatment. I am a neonatal ICU nurse and my twins were in the NICU for almost three months.
Eric Love, RN. Supervisor of Invasive Cardiology at the Heart & Lung Institute at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.): I tend to notice more men will choose specialty areas in the nursing profession. Typically, the view of where nurses work is on a random floor or ED in a hospital but, like an iceberg, there is so much more than meets the eye. Being a nurse opens a world of pathways and specialties.
Layne Mistretta, MSN, RN. Corporate Senior Director of Clinical Education and Professional Development at LCMC Health System (New Orleans): Gender bias exists. To market to the male recruit, we should promote the gender-neutral opportunities of nursing as a profession, which include consistent work, lucrative salaries, opportunity for growth, promotion and travel.
4. Break down stereotypes
Christopher Costello, MSN, RN. Director of Occupational Health & Wellness at Garnet Health (Middletown, N.Y.): As a society, we need to show men in the profession more. To some extent, I think there is potential for more men to enter the nursing profession. Showcasing male nurses more would have a positive impact on young men so they can see this as a viable career opportunity.
Jonathan "Finn" Morgan, BSN, RN. Nursing Supervisor of Medical Oncology/Infusion Services at AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute and AtlantiCare Physician Group (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.): We need to break down the stereotypes of nursing being a feminine profession and encourage more men to enter the field.
James Murphy, DNP, RN. Administrative Director of Advanced Practice Nursing at Mount Sinai South Nassau (Oceanside, N.Y.): We need to promote positive images and stories of male nurses in the media, education and healthcare settings. We also need to create a more inclusive and supportive culture within the nursing profession, where men can find mentors, role models and peers who share their experiences and challenges.
5. Role models can help
Anthony Egan, RN. Director of the Clinical Education and Simulation Lab at Adelphi University College of Nursing and Public Health (Garden City, N.Y.): We have started a Men in Nursing chapter at Adelphi. We are trying to increase the number of men coming into nursing. The more role models we have in nursing, the more men will join the profession.
Doug Dascenzo, DNP, RN. Regional Chief Nursing Officer of Trinity Health Michigan (Livonia): I think those of us who are male in the profession could do a much better job of sharing our professional experiences with other men who are seeking to make a career choice. The sooner we begin to share and inspire others, the better. We need to serve as teachers, mentors and coaches to support these prospective nurses to ensure their success
Alan Howard, PhD, RN. Certified Emergency Nurse and Assistant Professor of Nursing at York College of Pennsylvania: There's no question hospitals and healthcare systems could do better when marketing to men. More specifically, I believe the nontraditional second career male is a population largely ignored.
6. Talk to high schoolers
Jeffrey Heist, MSN, RN. Chief Nursing Officer and Manager of Utilization Review/Case Management at the Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery (Lima, Ohio): Men are not targeted early to be nurses. This should start in early high school, and campaigns should focus on making this a financially stable choice for men. I think the paths that can be taken by men in nursing are not made obvious. Examples would include clinically competent IT personnel, technology in nursing using computerized anatomy tables and computer advancements (multitaction screen use). Many other paths are available other than direct patient care.
David Marshall, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Executive at Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles): Educating the public about the numerous contributions men have made to the nursing profession is one way to encourage more men to enter the profession. Attracting males to the profession of nursing should begin before high school to show what a great, rewarding career it can be.
Nicholas McCune, MSN, APRN. Associate Professor at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio): Recruitment in high schools would likely pay dividends, especially with male representation at the recruitment/informational booths. High school males would be more willing to approach an information booth about nursing with a male representative.
Bryan Overman, BSN, RN. Senior Director of Nursing Professional Practice, Development and Quality at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (Lanham, Md.): Advertising and recruiting early in schools and catering towards what men enjoy about the work. I believe we would find that many men simply do not understand what nurses do and, if they did, with the appropriate support, we would see more men entering the workforce.
7. Focus on diversity and culture
Kaleb Martorana, RN. Quality and Patient Advocate at City of Hope Phoenix: The male population can improve the nursing profession through diversity in the workforce and improve representation of our patient populations. There are opportunities for academic and healthcare institutions to partner together to allow workforce shadowing opportunities so students can experience a "day in the life" as a nurse.
James Murphy, DNP, RN. Administrative Director of Advanced Practice Nursing at Mount Sinai South Nassau (Oceanside, N.Y.): Increasing the diversity of the healthcare workforce can enhance the quality and cultural competence of patient care, as well as address the health disparities and needs of different population groups. Hospitals should consider strategies to attract and retain more male healthcare workers from various ethnic and racial backgrounds.