Describing the male registered nursing workforce toward increasing male representation in professional nursing

Background: Men are significantly underrepresented in nursing and increasing their numbers should be a priority. Purpose: To describe the male nursing workforce in terms of size, demographics, education, and work settings. Methods: Using data from the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, we performed a secondary descriptive analysis. Findings: We find that 9.6% of registered nurses are men. Men are more likely than women to hold an associate degree and clinical doctorates, be nurse anesthetists and supervisors, and work in emergency settings but less likely than females to participate in teaching. Discussion: To increase male representation in nursing we must simultaneously rearticulate what it means for a job to be “female” while also showing that nursing incorporates many skills and interests traditionally coded as “male.” We can also show men that nursing offers appealing employment that can lead to a deeply fulfilling personal and professional life.