6 Reasons Men Are Choosing a Career in Nursing

Current trends confirm that more men are choosing a career in nursing. In fact, in the last decade, the percentage of male nurses has risen from  of male nurses has increased by 30%.1

What’s behind the shift? There are a lot of reasons this field, which has been female dominated since the American Civil War, is finding a new surge of interest among men. The first is that there has been a push by the healthcare industry to recruit men as hospitals, private practices and government institutions try to fill the nursing gap left by retiring Baby Boomers.3 But more men are also realizing that nursing has what they are looking for in a long-term career.

If you are considering becoming one of the men who helps fill the need for nurses in the coming decade, you’ll find that a career in nursing can be both stable and rewarding. As a male nurse, you have strong potential for professional growth as you care for those in need.

Let’s explore the many reasons more men are choosing careers in nursing.

Reason #1: Nursing Education Is Readily Available

One big reason both women and men choose careers in nursing is that you can transition into the field relatively quickly. Unlike some healthcare professions that require many years of training, you can become a registered nurse (RN) in as few as three years with a bachelor’s degree in nursing like those offered through Chamberlain University. Chamberlain offers two BSN options:

The online BSN program allows you to take classes entirely online and complete in-person clinical experiences.

The hybrid BSN program allows you to choose between online and on-campus classes and complete in-person clinical experiences.

Both are 3-year BSN programs that can prepare you to work as a confident, caring RN in any healthcare setting.

Reason #2: Nursing Offers Many Options for Professional Growth

No one wants to feel that they can’t evolve and mature in their profession. Nursing is an ever-growing field, and new specialized fields of medicine mean new skills and knowledge for nurses to pursue. As an RN, you may want to learn more about a specific branch of medicine or move into a career that allows you to work with a certain population. As you grow in your career, you may choose to pursue an advanced nursing degree to explore new paths, open career possibilities and expand your earning potential.

Fortunately, nursing education can happen at any time in your career. You can begin your work as an RN and then explore new educational pathways as your interests emerge and your career develops over time.

Reason #3: Nurses Are in High Demand

Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, and they are needed now more than ever. As Baby Boomers age toward retirement, there is a large deficit in the number of active nurses across the entire country. More nurses need to enter the field quickly to fill this gap as well as to help provide care to this aging generation.3

While this is a crisis for the healthcare system, it can be an opportunity for those seeking roles as nurses. Every healthcare setting needs trained nurses. Coming into the profession now, when so many nurses are retiring, means there are more open roles to explore, and more chance to grow your skills quickly.

Reason #4: Nurses Work in Many Healthcare Settings

From local clinics to government agencies, nurses work alongside doctors, public health professionals and educators in various settings. For anyone who is looking for a profession that offers variety in terms of where you might work, nursing can be a welcome opportunity. Depending on the facilities in your area, you may be able to seek employment in numerous locations or settings as a registered nurse with a BSN.

You will find RNs and other nursing professionals working in healthcare settings in public, private and government institutions:

• Hospitals
• Universities and schools
• Government health agencies
• Family practice
• Women’s health
• Nursing homes and elderly care
• Rehabilitation centers

Reason #5: Nurses Are Team Players

Many professionals thrive in team environments, and nurses never work alone. All nurses partner and collaborate with healthcare teams to care for patients, address medical concerns and work toward positive outcomes. Depending on the setting in which you work, you may find yourself working and coordinating with doctors, occupational therapists, social workers and other nurses on any given day.

Reason #6: Nurses Make a Difference Every Day

The COVID-19 pandemic showed us all that there is more we can do to help each other stay safe and healthy. Pursuing a career in nursing puts you in a position to make a difference in the lives of patients every day. No matter your nursing specialty or the healthcare setting in which you choose to work, you will know that your work is changing lives and bringing a comfort to the people who need it most. There are a lot of benefits to having a job you feel good about, and happiness at work can improve your overall mental health and well-being. If taking care of others makes you feel good, nursing may be a career you will enjoy.

Become a Nurse and Start Making a Difference

If you are ready to become a nurse, consider the online and hybrid model 3-year BSN programs from Chamberlain University. Chamberlain has been a leader in nursing education for more than 130 years, and our Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is the largest in the United States. We are dedicated to helping aspiring healthcare professionals become empathetic, compassionate practitioners who can work in diverse settings with all patients.

Chamberlain University, an HLC-accredited institution, offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and certificate programs in nursing and healthcare professions. With a growing network of campuses and robust online programs, Chamberlain continues to build on more than 130 years of excellence in preparing extraordinary healthcare professionals.

Sources:

1 www.journalofnursingregulation.com/article/S2155-8256(25)00047-X/fulltext

2 www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-6

3 www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage

By Chamberlain University