Barriers Causing the Lack of Diversity in the Nursing Field

By Cheyenne Patterson

Figure 1. This pictures shows a female nurse in a clinical setting. The photo comes from
DiabetesCare (2014). Retrieved April 14, 2019 from https://www.flickr.com/photos/diabetescare/14358499248. 

Nursing has been a popular career field for several decades. However, the field has not become more diverse as time has gone on. People typically chose this field because of their desire to help people and the flexibility of the degree. Having a job in nursing can seem very appealing but when looking at the numbers, there is still a large shortage of nurses in the field. There is a stereotype that it is a feminine career which seems leading to the lack of diversity. In the healthcare field, it is a common thought that women should be nurses and men should be doctors. Men aren’t choosing to work as nurses and there have been several studies looking into the reasons why. This blog will detail an article by Jay Roth and Christopher Coleman titled Perceived and Real Barriers for Men Entering Nursing: Implications for Gender Diversity which provides the results from numerous studies on the barriers men face in nursing and what other factors contribute to the lack of diversity that we see.

As of 2004, only 7.9% of nurses in the US were male and 75% of all vacancies at hospitals were for nursing positions (AACN, 2004). These numbers have increased as time has gone on. It is said that these shocking numbers are due to nursing been seen as a female dominated field. Men don’t want to seen as “feminine” by choosing this career. In a study that examined student’s perception of a nursing career, male and female students of different age groups were interviewed and the results showed that there was a great admiration from both genders for the work that nurses do; however, the most negative perceptions of nursing came from middle class boys who had fears of being seen as “girly” or “too feminine”. It appears that from an early age children are forming this opinion of what genders should be in what field. This puts up the barrier for males later on in life who might be interested in being a nurse.

The feminine stereotype isn’t the only barrier holding men back from the field. Several studies can been conducted on men who are already nurses. A study of environmental barriers showed that men didn’t feel welcomed in the clinical setting because women might not feel comfortable having them in the room. This made them feel the need to be more cautious. The added pressure puts a burden on them while trying to do their job. Male students also reported that the lack of male professors and locker facilities were significant barriers they faced as well. It would probably draw more men to the field if there were more male figures in the classroom for them to look up to. Some men would rather have a male professor than a female. But as of now, there are mostly women instructors. A study conducted on 301 students showed that students in high school believed that nursing doesn't provide the opportunities like other professions to teach in colleges and universities. However, this isn't true. If someone receives a graduate(advanced practice) degree in nursing, they are able to teach at a university. It is crucial that people are aware of the many different paths that you can take with a nursing degree. Someone can work in a hospital with bachelors degree or receive a masters/doctorate degree in nursing and go on to be a professor. 

Some say the shortage of nurses is due to the financial debt that comes along with the degree; however, several efforts have been made to decrease this debt. Some schools are offering more scholarships as well as tuition reimbursement programs through hospitals in their surrounding areas. Studies have shown that in spite of these efforts, the number of newly graduated nurses is still declining. When looking at an 8-year time span, there was a 20% decrease in the number of graduates registering to take the NCLEX. What is the NCLEX? It is a standardized exam that all nursing graduates must pass in order to receive their license to legally practice as a nurse. If the number of students taking the NCLEX continues to decrease that means the lack of diversity will remain. It is important to encourage students of any gender and background to take the NCLEX if we want to see a shift in the field. 

Drastic changes need to be made in order to see a shift on the dynamics of the field. A way to encourage more men to enter the field would be to expose them at a young age to the different paths they could take within nursing. Not all nurses have to work in a hospital at the bedside. A nurse could also work in an office on the “paperwork” side of things. It is said that targeting older nontraditional male students could help to set an example for other males that might also be interested in the field. It is always beneficial to have someone similar to you as a role model. Overall the field isn’t diverse in terms of men and women; however, with some changes being made to make the field more appealing to men, it can quickly become less female dominated.

By Cheyenne Patterson, University of Florida

References

American Association of Collages of Nursing. (2004). Retrieved April 14, 2019 from http://aacn.nche.edu/media/backgrounders/shortagefacts.htm.

Female nurse [Online Image]. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/diabetescare/14358499248. 

Roth, J. E., & Coleman, C. L. (2008). Perceived and Real Barriers for Men Entering Nursing: Implications for Gender Diversity. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 15(3), 148–152. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,uid&db=aph&AN=34866725&site=eds-live