24 Men in Nursing L October 2008

T 24 Men in Nursing l October 2008 www.meninnursingjournal.com By Mary Hereford, RN, PhD, and Kathy Reavy, RN, PhD who want to pursue an engaging, challenging, and rewarding career that involves a high level of commit- The fictional nurses on TV and in the movies are just ment and service to others. Nursing needs to be correct- that—fictional. But they do influence how the public ly depicted in the media, so men and women discover perceives who nurses are and what nurses do. that it’s a well-paid, high-tech career offering a variety of The public gives nurses high ratings for being ethical employment choices seldom found in other professions. and trustworthy, but nursing is low on the list of profes- Part of the problem with the image of nursing—and Tsions that people find desirable or wish to pursue.1,2 thus, with recruitment into our largely female profes- The public has a widespread acceptance of nursing in sion—is the gender stereotype. Gender stereotypes may general, but a limited understanding of what nursing accurately reflect a certain individual’s or group’s behav- roles exist beyond the routine tasks.1-3 ior, but they may be so simplistic that they are inaccu- Both the fictional portrayal and the public perception rate.6 This inaccurate simplicity is apparent in the por- of nurses clearly affect whether young men and women trayals of men in the fictional realms of television and choose nursing as their profession. They also affect the movies. nursing students who believe the portrayal of nursing Nursing advocates want more men to enter the pro- on television and in the movies has led the public to see fession, but only about 5% of U.S. nurses are male.6 That it as a profession in crisis and as an unattractive career percentage hasn’t changed much in the last 10 years. in a physician-centric world, where nurses only follow Again, public perception plays a role. The public sees orders.4 men as not having the nature to become nurses. Most experts believe that the stereotype of nursing as a Image and the nursing shortage female-oriented profession is part of the problem, and Today, we face a nursing shortage that will affect every only recently have recruitment strategies been aimed at U.S. citizen in some way. The shortage may mean higher attracting men.7 medical costs, less care for a loved one in the healthcare system, or an inability to receive needed care. What male students say Nurses are leaving the profession in unprecedented In a 2005 study on the image of nursing, 14 male and numbers partly because of the aging workforce, but also female students were asked about the fictional image of because many other professions offer more pay, better nursing on television and in the movies.8 (See “What hours, and greater benefits. Today, nursing students say about the portrayals nursing is struggling to keep and perceptions of nursing.”) its most talented and Responses from male students ….I do skilled nurses. n’t want suggest that fictional nurs- anybody The long-term effects to ever a ing is still steeped in the sk me again of the changes in the going if I’m female tradition. Here are to be a doc healthcare delivery sys- tor once I’m a few responses from done bei tem in the 1980s also con- ng a nurse. male nursing students: tribute to the shortage. Two “….I can tell you as a guy get- decades ago, nurses were seen as ting into nursing, I definitely want expendable. Hospitals replaced them with to see that anything with nursing represented people who lacked a higher education and to the public involves male nurses. If all they do is keep were willing to work for less money doing nursing tasks showing women, it won’t help anything….” that hospital administrators thought were unimportant.5 “….I don’t want anybody to ever ask me again if I’m By the time administrators realized the importance of going to be a doctor once I’m done being a nurse. Or, if I nurses, a vacuum had been created in the profession. want to be a Physician’s Assistant (PA) after I’m done So what does this have to do with the perception of being a nurse. You know, it is just ridiculous to think that nursing? During a critical nursing shortage, perceptions way…” of the profession are extremely important. If nursing is “The public sees a man who is a nurse, and . thinks, portrayed accurately, the profession can draw people oh, he must be nurturing to a point. But they also think www.meninnursingjournal.com October 2008 l Men in Nursing 25 What nursing students say about the portrayals and perceptions of nursing In a 2005 study, nursing students gave their opinions on how fictional portrayals of nurses affect the public’s perception of nursing, their own career choices, and nursing recruitment.8 Here’s some of what they had to say. Public’s view “My initial avoidance of nursing as a career [was influ- “The public still sees us as order followers.” enced by] television.” “I don’t see enough on the shows where nurses are re- “I do not feel the media has affected where I want to ally out in the community and doing nursing.” work.” “They [the public] think of nurses as just doing dirty “It has made me defensive about where I want to work.” work in a hospital.” “I don’t feel that television or the movies have influ- “I think the public’s perception of nursing comes from enced where I want to work once I graduate from nurs- its motherly role, taking care of people and that sort of ing school.” thing.” “They show a very narrow view of what nurses can do.” “I think the public probably thinks that TV has drama- tized nursing a little bit.” Nursing recruitment “I am sure there has been a boost of nursing appli- “Some people might see it as a whole bunch of work cants and people trying to get into nursing school be- and not a lot of recognition.” cause of the images on television.” “The general perception of nurses is that they give you “I think the media makes the job look exciting and fun.” a pill and fluff your pillow.” “I think men might like that there are a lot of women Career choices in nursing.” “The media has impacted where I want to work.” “I feel the images of nursing do not help recruit people “They [television and movies] target the areas where I into the field because nursing is portrayed as a degrad- want to work, like the emergency department or inten- ing field.” sive care unit.” “The most positive things you see about nursing are “I like trauma and feel television has influenced where commercials.” I want to work.” “I feel the media shows nursing school as easy and “I think the media has really influenced me. I like that something you can do overnight. I think movies like kind of on-the-edge, different, unique specialty.” Meet the Parents don’t help people think of nursing.” “I know from watching ER that I never want to work in “I really don’t see a lot that would encourage a man to that area.” become a nurse from the media portrayals.” he is a sissy or . he doesn’t have what it takes to regarding the public’s perception of nursing weren’t so become a doctor. And I think society says one thing, but different from those of male students. Here are a few at the same time you are being judged in another way.” statements from female nursing students: “…I think the public gets its perception of nursing What female students say from where nursing started. We have always been tradi- Nursing has been viewed as a woman’s profession since tionally female. Nurses still hang on to tradition…the Florence Nightingale’s time, though men were the first media sees that and so does the public. And that is why nurses dating back to the Crusades and Knights I think the public still sees us as just following orders…” Templar. In historical literature, men are favored as nurs- “I think the images of nursing that the media portrays es because they are considered better suited to leader- are really negative. I don’t think that people realize the ship and administrative positions.9 Female nurses may specialties . They think of a nurse as just doing dirty be marginalized because they are seen as better pre- work in a hospital. They don’t realize there are so many pared to be the caring patient advocates who remain at aspects to it.” the bedside, delivering care that is traditionally consid- “I think the public’s perception of nursing comes from ered women’s work. its motherly role, taking care of people and that sort of Female nursing students’ responses to questions thing.” 26 Men in Nursing l October 2008 www.meninnursingjournal.com Effects on career choices nurse” because you never see a male nurse. And the The study found that the fictional images of nursing on female nurses that are on television, half of them are television and in the movies played a part in career portrayed as idiots…” choices and job opportunities for both male and female students. Here are some responses regarding employ- Nursing’s voice ment: Where does the nursing profession go from here to “..Well, I like trauma.

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