There is something strange regarding the emerging occupation of
male nurses in China. Advertisements claim they are in demand, yet
many well-trained male nurses are looking for employment; some are
trying to change their job, according to media reports.
In big cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou, in fast-developing
areas, as well as in less-developed provinces, male nurses are
scarce. It's exceedingly difficult for hospitals to recruit
them.
Many people attribute the scarcity to society's view point that
nursing is a women's job. Women are seen as more careful and
patient than men, while as nurses they take great care of patients,
providing injections and dispensing medicine.
In fact, there are many reasons hospitals need male nurses. In
general, they are physically stronger or more energetic than women.
Male nurses are particularly needed in emergency departments, men's
departments and psychiatric hospitals, to name but a few, according
to some experts.
According to some media studies, many students and their parents
hold the wrong concepts about the profession. This is the main
reason very few males are likely to take nursing when they choose a
subject for their secondary or higher learning.
According to a staff member of Jinan Health School in the
Shandong provincial capital, in 2002, the institute recruited more
than 130 students for its nursing program. Among them, only eight
were male. What's worse, four later transferred to other
specialties.
Although hospitals claim a scarcity of males in nursing
specialties leads to the recruitment difficulty, those seeking
employment see it rather differently.
In a recent employment poll of male nurses conducted by China's
Male Nurse Forum (www.malenurse.cn/bbs/), the 31 nurses
participating gave surprising responses.
The results showed only five were still on the job, two had
changed occupation, and the other 24 were looking for
employment.
A male nursing high school graduate who asked to remain
anonymous said it was extremely difficult to find a hospital job if
you have no money or connections with hospital leaders. A bribe of
at least 50,000 yuan (about 6,670 U.S.dollars) is needed to secure
employment, the man claimed.
While an overwhelming majority of male nurses chose their
specialty due to the introduction of teachers and parents, many
were now regretting their decision.
Another unidentified male nursing student in Shanghai who
claimed he was inveigled into the profession, said "it's really a
shame for a man to do nursing".
Feng Hongsheng, a Jinan Air Force Hospital nurse, said when he
was a hospital intern his teacher told him, "Get a move on. You'd
better change your occupation while you are young."
Feng said his base monthly salary is 800 yuan (about 106.67
U.S.dollars). One of his teachers at the hospital who has worked
for more than 30 years, earns only 1,000 yuan a month.
He added nurses were at a disadvantage and their social status
and pay were not good. He is planning to leave the hospital and do
nursing for private households in his own business.
Chen Zengchuan, an employee with a labor agency for health
professionals in the southwest Chongqing Municipality, said the
scarcity of male nurses doesn't directly mean a pressing need as
"there are enough female nurses in every hospital".
The main reason for the scarcity lies in the low payment for
nurses. He suggested the salary and social status for male nurses
be enhanced so as to ensure a sustainable development of this
emerging occupation.
(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2008)