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Male Nursing

By: Rukhsana Yasmin

Nursing in Islam was emerged at the time of our Prophet (PBUH). The whole Great names come in nursing history such as Rafidah who had worked a lot during the battles in the life time of Holy prophet Hazarat Muhammad (PBUH). After that the time of Florence nightingale improved the image of nursing profession. But unfortunately since that time nursing has been stereotyped as a female- dominant profession created with the assumption that role is basically to a female gender alone due to nurturing, caring and tendering. In the contrast, male characteristics of strength, aggressiveness, and assertiveness and leadership if we see the history of men in nursing profession in the United Kingdom it is obvious that appears to indicate that men as well as women have an equally valid historical role in this profession. Yet men have worked as nurses since the profession infancy, fulfilling the caring role in areas such as asylums, work house infirmaries, military services and private associations. According to Lynn (2004) “Until the mid-to- late 1800s, the roles of men and women in nursing were similar” Although, the first school of nursing was established in India in approximately 250 B.C.E. Since that time the number of male in nursing has been steadily increased worldwide. Currently 10.6 % of the total Australian nursing population is male and this number is predicted to increase each year. According to SNEB data in Pakistan 48% male and globally 48% male graduated in 2007. So my contention is to say that men should join nursing profession because of shortage of nurses, career development and job satisfaction.

As we know that Pakistan population is increasing day by day and Pakistan care system is confined by acute shortage of nurses’ According to 2005 survey found that Pakistan had only 46,331 nurses for its 150 million people, who is roughly one nurse for 3,000 people which shows more work load on the female nurses as well as poor nursing care. In the contrary many people they do not want to send their females in nursing profession due to cultural sensitivity because they think that it is not good because female give care to male patient. So if male join nursing profession then Pakistan do not have too much shortage of nurses and people can get holistic nursing care which is hindering due to shortages of nurses. Further more, Pakistan is Islamic state due to Islamic culture sometime male patient do not feel comfortable while having intimate care from female nurses. They feel more comfortable with same gender while having intimate care. According to Muttahida Majlis-e- Amal lady senator Kausar Firdous “reported that only male nurses should care for male patients and female nurses should care for female patients”

In addition to, now a day both professional and mainstream presses also have given attention to the growing nursing shortage of nurses. According to Lynn (2004) “that if men entered the profession at the same rate as women today, there would be no nursing shortage” Secondly, Pakistan is under develop country and there are shortages of jobs opportunity for male because of this many men do not have career development as well as suitable job in Pakistan. So, nursing is a very reliable and stable job fro men. Men are also breadwinner and they should join nursing profession because this job will provide additional advantage to men and his family while giving good career and handsome salary as well as they have opportunity for going to aboard like UK, Canada for earning money.

Apart from this, if men want to enhance his knowledge he can get more education in nursing profession such as specialization in any subject, BSc, MSc, PHD and dectorate degree in different fields like epidemiology, community. Statistic and public health etc. it also increased the pay and enhanced prestige of men in the society. Further more during job he has suitable wages, number of hours worked, contract status, possession in current post. Beside this, if male have more work experience then they are expectable to be more job satisfaction and benefits from their job in the term of income and medical facilities as well.

At the end I conclude that male should join nursing profession because of male nurses work in the health care system in a very comfortable manner and he is providing as care as female nurses. History of men as nurses in the united Kingdom appear to indicate that men as well as women have an equally valid historical role within the occupation. I strongly recommended that stakeholders to break down the socially constructed stereotypical myths about the perception of nursing as gender type profession. In addition, media and news paper as well as professional and non professional journals should also play a vital role in portraying positive images of male in nursing profession. Nursing educators should also try to understand male nurses’ motivations, professional preparation and career development. So that they can make more feasible career plans and they can serve their competency in nursing profession.