<p>Gone are the days when nursing was dominated by women. With growing number of hospitals, demand for male nurses has also surged. The demand for male nurses has doubled in the past 10 years in Bangalore hospitals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Presently they constitute less than one per cent of the total nursing population. According to statistics provided by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, the percentage of males opting for nursing course has gone up by 40 per cent in the past five years. In 2008, around 100 male nurses were registered for BSc nursing course whereas in the last academic year, 2012, the number rose to above 2,600. Similarly, more males are opting for MSc and diploma in nursing course. <br /><br />Many government and private hospitals have welcomed the new phenomenon of male nurses to overcome the dearth of nurses in hospitals. “Enrolment of men in nursing courses will help to fill up the vacant posts and improve the quality of treatment in hospitals,” said Vydehi Institute of Nursing Sciences Principal Prof L E Madhumathi. <br /><br />Male nurses are in high demand at select departments like OT, psychiatry, orthopaedics, dispensary and male wards. “Male nurses are considered more resourceful over female nurses at OT. We have 276 nursing staff and 25 per cent are male,” said Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain Hospital Nursing Superintendent S Sebastian.<br /><br />The demand for male nurses is highest in emergency and call duties. Many private hospitals, considering safety and security of women nurses prefer to appoint male nurses. “For emergency call at night, we cannot send a female nurse outside hospital because of safety reasons. Moreover, in cases like shifting patients or providing emergency service in ambulance, brawny male nurses are more preferable,” said Apollo Hospital Director of Nursing Mary Jose, who also confirms an increase in number of male nurses. “Out of the total nursing staff, 27 per cent are male. Whereas, five years back the number was only 5 per cent,” she added.<br /><br />Previously, male nurses were restricted from maternity and gynaecology wards, but now this kind of stereotype is vanishing. <br /><br />“Nowadays, patients care about the efficiency of nurse not the gender. They are equally comfortable with male and female nurses,” Sebastian said. <br /><br />Kumar, a male nurse working at Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, when asked the reason for opting for nursing career, said, “This field has great career opportunity. It has both monetary and job satisfaction. So why should not males come into this profession?”<br />Malla, female nurse at Jain Hospital, also shared the same opinion. “The notion that nursing is predominated by female is evolving. We are getting competition from male nurses but in a long run it would help to remunerate nursing.”<br /><br />Despite rising demand for male nurses, female nurses outnumber male in nursing. Fortis Institute of Nursing Admission Coordinator Prabhuswamy said, “there is demand for male nurses but still the number of male enrolment in hospitals and nursing institutes is very less in comparison to female candidates. In future, the scope for male nurses would broaden further in Bangalore.”</p>
<p>Gone are the days when nursing was dominated by women. With growing number of hospitals, demand for male nurses has also surged. The demand for male nurses has doubled in the past 10 years in Bangalore hospitals.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Presently they constitute less than one per cent of the total nursing population. According to statistics provided by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, the percentage of males opting for nursing course has gone up by 40 per cent in the past five years. In 2008, around 100 male nurses were registered for BSc nursing course whereas in the last academic year, 2012, the number rose to above 2,600. Similarly, more males are opting for MSc and diploma in nursing course. <br /><br />Many government and private hospitals have welcomed the new phenomenon of male nurses to overcome the dearth of nurses in hospitals. “Enrolment of men in nursing courses will help to fill up the vacant posts and improve the quality of treatment in hospitals,” said Vydehi Institute of Nursing Sciences Principal Prof L E Madhumathi. <br /><br />Male nurses are in high demand at select departments like OT, psychiatry, orthopaedics, dispensary and male wards. “Male nurses are considered more resourceful over female nurses at OT. We have 276 nursing staff and 25 per cent are male,” said Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain Hospital Nursing Superintendent S Sebastian.<br /><br />The demand for male nurses is highest in emergency and call duties. Many private hospitals, considering safety and security of women nurses prefer to appoint male nurses. “For emergency call at night, we cannot send a female nurse outside hospital because of safety reasons. Moreover, in cases like shifting patients or providing emergency service in ambulance, brawny male nurses are more preferable,” said Apollo Hospital Director of Nursing Mary Jose, who also confirms an increase in number of male nurses. “Out of the total nursing staff, 27 per cent are male. Whereas, five years back the number was only 5 per cent,” she added.<br /><br />Previously, male nurses were restricted from maternity and gynaecology wards, but now this kind of stereotype is vanishing. <br /><br />“Nowadays, patients care about the efficiency of nurse not the gender. They are equally comfortable with male and female nurses,” Sebastian said. <br /><br />Kumar, a male nurse working at Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, when asked the reason for opting for nursing career, said, “This field has great career opportunity. It has both monetary and job satisfaction. So why should not males come into this profession?”<br />Malla, female nurse at Jain Hospital, also shared the same opinion. “The notion that nursing is predominated by female is evolving. We are getting competition from male nurses but in a long run it would help to remunerate nursing.”<br /><br />Despite rising demand for male nurses, female nurses outnumber male in nursing. Fortis Institute of Nursing Admission Coordinator Prabhuswamy said, “there is demand for male nurses but still the number of male enrolment in hospitals and nursing institutes is very less in comparison to female candidates. In future, the scope for male nurses would broaden further in Bangalore.”</p>