Male registered nurses, 1995

Men constitute a small minority of registered nurses (RNs) in Canada, but their numbers have risen sharply in the last decade. In 1995, almost 4% of RNs were men, up from just over 2% in 1985. The proportion of male nurses is particularly high in Quebec, where the 1995 figure was 8%. Some areas of nursing are more likely than others to employ male nurses: psychiatry, critical care, emergency care, and administration. By contrast, relatively few male RNs have jobs in maternal/newborn care, pediatrics, or community care. Rising male enrollement in college and university nursing programs suggests that men's representation in nursing will continue to rise. The older age profile of male nurses may indicate that some men are choosing nursing as a second career. As well, a shift in the age distribution of male nurses would seem to suggest that those who enter the profession tend to stay. This analysis of the demographic and employment characteristics of male nurses is based on information compiled annually in the Registered Nurses Database maintained by Statistics Canada. Figures on enrolment and graduation in nursing are collected by Statistics Canada as part of annual surveys.