How, and Why, to Recruit Male Nurses

Male nurses face lots of scrutiny about their career choice. To retain this growing segment of the workforce, challenge your assumptions about male nurses and make sure you're sending the right message.

For years, human resources departments have openly discussed the discrimination and judgment women often face when they step into a traditionally male role, like hospital finance or the C-suite. But what happens when a man takes on a traditionally female role?

That's a reality faced by male nurses—or, as they're colloquially called, murses—on a daily basis.

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While most people have grown comfortable with women climbing the corporate ladder, healthcare still has a long way to go when it comes to accepting men who choose a role that is associated with women.

"If you ask kids to draw a nurse, they'll draw a picture of a woman in a skirt with a cap," says Bill Lecher, RN, MS, MBA, NE-BC, president of the American Assembly for Men in Nursing and senior clinical director at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

But in a medical system where cultural competency and diversity are becoming important elements of improved patient outcomes, this has to change. Here are four steps toward creating an environment where nurses of all ethnicities and both genders can flourish.

1. Don't make assumptions regarding career goals or failures
A common assumption about male nurses is that they had planned to be doctors but were unable to gain admission to medical school. While some nurses of both genders began their careers with aspirations of an MD, many simply saw greater appeal in being a nurse. Another stereotype male nurses must contend with is that that they are just looking for an "easy way" into leadership positions.

As with all careers, the reasons why men go into nursing are diverse. "The reasons I became a nurse really aren't that surprising," says Lecher, who was a construction worker prior to becoming a nurse. "I wanted to work with and help other people."

Some men find their way into the civilian healthcare system after completing military service, where about one-third of all nurses are male. Also, an increasing number of men are drawn to nursing in the recessional economy, says Lecher.

"Healthcare has been more recession-resistant than many industries, and more men entered nursing schools as a result. Fourteen percent of nursing students now are male," he adds. "It's a popular second career."

2. Don't assume the women are playing nice
Nursing is already known as a profession with intense infighting, but some people wrongly assume that, while women bully each other, they'll leave men alone. Not so, says Christopher Kowal, a registered nurse at a New York-based hospital and adjunct nursing professor at American Sentinel University.

"If I [behaved this way], it would be seen as sexual discrimination, but by a female, it is not. … I don't think we address it equally," he says.

Lecher's experiences echo Kowal's. "It's subtle. ... In 2014, you can't say discriminatory remarks about ethnic minorities, but it's 'ok' in healthcare to make snide remarks about men, whether male nurses are in the room or not," Lecher says.

While both Lecher and Kowal are quick to say that most nurses, both male and female, are supportive colleagues, it's important to be aware that female bullying and harassment is often subtle. Many men might not feel they can go to HR or a manager about harassment under these circumstances, especially if they fear being perceived as weak.

"You might or might not say anything about it because you have to live in the environment," adds Lecher.

Bottom line: Bullying will squash your retention efforts and bring down morale among your staff. Don't be afraid to ask people of either gender what's going on.

3. Don't assume male nurses are 'muscle'
"Historically, male nurses were hired to work in higher risk areas, like [the psychiatric ward], critical care, or emergency. It was a purposeful bias—I'd rather have a staff of 20 men if I might have patients who will become aggressive," recounts Kowal, who has also noticed an expectation that male nurses take on manual labor before female nurses do, even when the women present are perfectly capable.

"I am not a large, tall, muscular gentleman. I could work with women who are more muscular than I am, and they could be sitting down at the desk, expecting me to do the heavy lifting."

Some people wonder if men are even compassionate and nurturing enough to be nurses, says Lecher. "Men are incredibly nurturing, but they do it differently," he says, adding that men are more likely to use humor than give someone a hug. For some patients, that might be just the right touch.

As men and women deal with many situations differently, including experiencing pain or losing a spouse, it makes sense to have nurses of both genders on staff. "When people seek healthcare, they want to see people like themselves at the hospital. We've seen that with cultural competency, we get improved patient outcomes. It's reasonable to assume we might see the same sort of thing with gender competency and more men in the nursing workforce," says Lecher.

Additionally, as a pediatric nurse, he's found that it's helpful to have someone on staff who can talk to boys about "boy stuff," and that fathers who come in with their kids sometimes communicate better with a male nurse.

4. Do make diversity a priority
Do your nurse recruiting efforts overlook men? When HR staffers and other representatives go to career fairs, make sure they give men copies of handouts. "Use a verbal invitation," advises Lecher. "Say, 'Hey, we're encouraging male candidates to apply, we're a diverse and inclusive workplace.'

"When hospitals design recruitment materials for nurses, almost all of them use ethnically and racially inclusive pictures. They should do the same for gender-inclusive images," he suggests, along with using gender-neutral language on communications from management and HR materials.

He also suggests creating mentorship programs for male nurses, pairing men with other nurses who have similar career goals, experiences, and interests.

Finally, take a critical look at the wards in your hospital. What is the gender mix like? Make sure that men who want an opportunity to work in a traditionally female-heavy ward, like pediatrics, have that opportunity—and don't allow tolerate sexual discrimination under any circumstances.

"Nursing is about being a caregiver," says Kowal. "It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. Nursing is for everybody."