Why More Men Are Becoming Nurses

Men made up about 13% of the nursing field in 2015, up from just 2.2% in 1960, according to a new study by economics professors Elizabeth Munnich and Abigail Wozniak.
More high school-educated men and the increased demand for nurses as the U.S. expands its medical facilities has largely driven the trend.

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The simultaneous expansion of health-care offerings nationwide, by way of new services in established medical facilities and new medical facilities in areas that previously lacked access, has helped drive demand for more nurses over the years. And an aging and ailing population requires more nurses, too.

“As baby boomers are aging, they’re needing more health-care services. They are now the Medicare population. [And] on average, people across all ages have more chronic conditions, like kidney disease, diabetes, conditions that require more healthcare,” Ms. Munnich said.

Changing views on men and women’s responsibilities at home and in their careers has also contributed to the rising number of men in nursing.

“As broad perspectives on gender roles become more similar, and more nontraditional roles become more accepted, more men have joined the nursing field,” Ms. Munnich said.

Read more at:
https://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2017/10/17/why-more-men-are-becoming-nurses/