University Programs Aim to Increase Male Representation in Nursing

Why it matters locally: Across California, universities and colleges offering nursing programs may be evaluating similar initiatives to address the national trend of increasing male representation in the profession.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Universities across the country, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing, are actively working to increase the number of men entering the nursing profession. Currently, about 12.5% of all nurses are men. This proportion has been steadily increasing, a trend attributed to a robust job market for nurses and sustained recruitment efforts aimed at male candidates. Institutions in the Southern United States have also reported an increase in male nursing students. Amiri Saadiq, a nursing student at UAB, spoke with classmate Ethan Stinson in the simulation suite at the university's School of Nursing. Saadiq indicated that his clinical rotations have shown him that the work aligns with his personal qualities. "I think I'm pretty personable for the most part," Saadiq stated.