Male nurse

Although widely seen as a female profession as portrayed by the media, nursing is gradually becoming a more inclusive profession. Males make up around 10% of the taskforce in the UK, 6.4% of nurses in Canada, 23% of nurses in Iranand there are 3.5 million nurses in the United States of which 78% are registered nurses. Males in nursing are sometimes referred to as 'male nurses' or 'murse' to distinguish them from other nurses.

Whilst the current structure of medical and nursing care do not directly translate to historical provision of care, there is a history of male presence in caring for the sick and infirmed. The term nosocomial originates from the latin nosocomi, the name given to male care-givers, meaning that men were prominent in Ancient Rome. Years late, during the plagues that swept through Europe, male nurses were also the primary care-givers. In the 3rd century, men in the Parabolani created a hospital and provided nursing care. The Codex Theodosianus of 416 (xvi, 2, 42) restricted the enrollment on male nurses in Alexandria to 500.

In the 14th century, the Alexian brothers existed as a Christian religious congregation with strong emphasis on care for the infirmed. Later, John of God, following a conversion to Christianity, provided care for both the physically and mentally sick and notably challenged the stigmas associated with Mental Illness. Later, he founded the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God which continues to work with poor and infirmed to this day.

There are several reasons suggested for a low uptake of nursing by males: stereotypes of nursing, lack of male interest in the profession, low pay, nursing job titles such as Sister and Matron, and the perception that male nurses will have difficulty in the workplace carrying out their duties. It is argued by the Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing that the "continuing stereotyping" of male nurses is the main reason for low intake.

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Wikipedia