All Your Scrubs

Many men have missed out on a very satisfying career because they think that nursing is an occupation for females.  But the idea that “nursing is for women” is a myth, and it’s time to put that myth to rest once and for all.

Nursing is a wide open field for males offering many different specialities.  More and more men are recognizing that fact all the time, and switching careers to become nurses.  Right now, men make up around 9 percent of all nurses, but that statistic has increased dramatically in recent years.  Some reports show that men now make up nearly 20 percent of all nursing students and the percentage of nurses who are men continues to climb every year. 

Historically, there have been many males involved in the nursing profession.  Walt Whitman, the famous poet, was a military nurse during the civil war.  There have been entire orders of monks who’ve dedicated their lives to nursing.  Even the Knights of Malta started out as a group of nurses back in the Middle Ages.  So there’s nothing unmasculine about nursing.

Nursing is attracting more men these days for the same reason more women are thinking about a nursing career.  It’s a highly respected occupation and an opportunity to serve and help others.  There are far more job openings than nurses to fill them and the pay and benefits are great.   Flexibility and the ability to specialize in different areas are far more abundant in nursing than in most other occupations.

So if you’re thinking of putting on men’s nurses scrubs and becoming a nurse, don’t be held back because you don’t think it’s a job for men.  You’ll have plenty of other male coworkers in the nursing field. There are even professional associations, magazines and websites just for male nurses. Far from being a misfit, as a male nurse, you’ll be something of a trendsetter.

If you have chosen to pursue a career in nursing but would also like to see different parts of the world, perhaps a career in travel nursing is the option for you.

From the pristine beaches of Hawaii to the beautiful New England coast, there are thousands of places in the United States for you to put on your medical scrubs and pursue a career in nursing.  Travel nursing is one of the newest trends in nursing that lets you be in control of your nursing career. 

With the shortage of qualified nurses in facilities across the country, you can find short-term work (typically eight weeks or as long as 26 weeks) in virtually any location.  You get to choose the location, nursing specialty and length of commitment for each nursing assignment.

Because these assignments are in locations with immediate needs and on a temporary basis, the assignments offer a generous compensation package, often ranging from $22 to $40 per hour.  Many of these facilities provide additional perks such as free housing, as well as sign-on and completion bonuses to nurses under contract.

This could be something for you to consider.  You get invaluable varied experiences in the healthcare field and can see the world while earning extra cash!

When you think of the corridors of any large hospital, the first image that comes to mind is that of an individual in medical scrubs hurrying to care for the next patient.  While this has not changed, the picture of the nursing professional has expanded. 

Nursing career opportunities are greater and more varied than ever before, and the demand for qualified nurses has never been higher. As the health care field becomes increasingly complex and specialized, more and more nurses are finding steady, rewarding careers beyond the traditional hospital setting.

If you have a desire to help others, a fascination with cutting-edge medicine or want to explore new places and meet new people, check out some of the newer trends in the nursing profession.

At one time, nursing was primarily a career for females, but today nursing has become an intriguing and profitable career option for both genders.  In today’s environment, you see more men’s nursing scrubs than ever before.

It is easy to see why more men are becoming attracted to the nursing field.  The demand for nurses continues to rise which makes finding and keeping a job easier than in most other professions.  Nursing—for both men and women—is a secure career move.

The nursing profession also pays well with the median wage in nursing being around $53,330.  Nursing offers good benefits, flexible hours and almost limitless options for where you can work and the types of jobs available.  Nursing is a financially secure profession.  This is a career move with universal appeal and men are beginning to figure that out.

Nursing also offers the male nurse significant opportunities for professional advancement. Not only is there a shortage of men in the nursing profession, there is a corresponding shortage of male nurses in leadership and administrative roles.  Male nurses who are interested in these roles have excellent chances of quickly rising to the top of the field.

The most important fact, however, is that nursing can be a rewarding and enjoyable career that lets you play a direct role in working with unique individuals. Both men and women in nursing enjoy the people aspect of the job.  Instead of spending your day stuck behind a desk, you can spend it working with patients and making a difference in people’s lives.

High school students from all over Austin, Texas had the chance to spend a day in a nurse’s shoes.

The students attended a nursing academy hosted by two local facilities.  One of the local hospitals and the community college teamed up to offer this opportunity for students to have the chance to learn about career paths in the nursing field.

The high school students were able to interact with nursing students, faculty and industry professionals.

The academy also outlined the education requirements and skills needed to be successful in the health care industry.  This enabled the students to learn exactly what was involved in becoming a nurse or another health care professional.

Participants even got in a little practice on a mannequin that can talk and simulate various medical conditions.

Hospital volunteers are an important part of most hospitals but their duties vary widely depending upon the facility.  Many hospitals have volunteers staffing their reception areas and gift shops.  They will perform clerical duties and provide administrative backup.  They help visitors and transport various small items like flowers, medical records, lab specimens, and drugs from unit to unit.  Health-care laws and insurance liability limit the amount of direct contact volunteers can have with patients.

Volunteers are more common in large hospitals, particularly university-affiliated hospitals and teaching hospitals.  Pre-medical students may volunteer or perform unpaid services as a part of their classroom training.  This allows them to gain experience in patient care while taking pressure off the nursing staff so they can perform other duties.

In years past, female volunteers traditionally wore pink-and-white jumpers, while male volunteers traditionally wore light-blue tunics or shirts over dark slacks. Today, male and female volunteers often wear a uniform shirt or a short-sleeved shirt with slacks.  Some volunteers will wear nurses scrubs, but this is usually avoided so volunteers are not confused with medical personnel.  All volunteers wear ID tags within the hospital and these will prominently indicate the volunteer’s status and position.

When people think of doctors, nurses, and surgeons, they usually get a stereotypical image of men and women wearing scrubs and lab coats. These scrubs are named as such because the personnel have to wear these outfits after they have “scrubbed” in for surgery. These medical scrubs are designed in a very specific way. They are intentionally designed to be as simple as possible, meaning they are easy to launder and even easier to replace if they are damaged or stained.

Overall, the point of scrubs is twofold. One, they are designed to be as comfortable as possible for the doctor or nurse wearing them. And two, they are also made to be sterile and clean. With minimal frills, there are few places for dirt to hide. These medical uniforms most often consist of a long pair of pants and a short sleeve top. For colder conditions, they may sometimes come with a long sleeve jacket. It is common practice for all doctors, nurses, and even some dental assistants to wear scrubs while at work.

Have you ever heard the term “candy striper”?  This is a nickname for a hospital volunteer. 

Candy Stripers originated as a high-school civics class project in East Orange, New Jersey, in 1944.  The uniforms were sewn by the girls in the class from material provided by the teacher.  The fabric was a red-and-white-striped fabric and resembled peppermint candy.  This earned the volunteers the nickname and it stuck for many years.  The uniforms have now changed and the nickname is used less frequently.  Volunteers may now be identified by specific color nurses scrubs or other special name badges.

Hospital volunteers generally donate their time without pay in a variety of health care settings.  They are generally supervised by a nurse.  Most hospitals have a specialized organization called an auxiliary that trains the volunteers.

These volunteers provide an invaluable service to individual patients as well as the health care system in general.  The services they provide help free up time for the nursing staff to better perform their nursing services. 

Some people volunteer through schools as community service projects and others use this as a way to decide if they would like to be involved in the healthcare industry as a career.  Many times people will volunteer after retirement in order to give back to society. 

Whatever the reason for volunteering, this is a service that is greatly needed and appreciated throughout the healthcare industry.

Across the country, we have been honoring all those professionals we see in hospital scrubs by celebrating National Nurses Week this week beginning on May 6th. 

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th which has been proclaimed as National Nurses Day and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. These dates have been made permanent dates in order to enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. 

Beginning in 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has supported and promoted the nursing profession since 1896.  This organization was instrumental in having a time designated to honor nurses.  Various efforts have been made since 1953 to have a special time set up to honor this profession. 

Finally in February 1982, the ANA Board of Directors formally acknowledged May 6, 1982 as “National Nurses Day.” The action affirmed a joint resolution of the United States Congress designating May 6 as “National Recognition Day for Nurses.”  President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation on March 25, proclaiming “National Recognition Day for Nurses” to be May 6, 1982.

In 1990, the ANA Board of Directors expanded the recognition of nurses to a week-long celebration, declaring May 6 - 12, 1991, as National Nurses Week.

The ANA continues to support and encourage National Nurses Week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, other specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions.

National Nurses Week begins every year on National Nurses Day (May 6) and runs through May 12 which is the anniversary of the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing. 

This year the theme of National Nurses Week is “Nurses:  Building a Healthy America”. 

Today, there are nearly 2.9 million registered nurses in the United States proudly wearing their medical uniforms.  These men and women work around the clock providing highly skilled, safe and quality care in a variety of settings.  They encounter increased challenges to their professional and ethical commitment to deliver essential health care.

National Nurses Week is a time to honor all these outstanding professionals throughout America as they provide these services.