Categories: Scrubs

5 fun facts about male nurses

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The first male nurses were third-century Italians! How much do you know about the history of male nurses? Test your knowledge with our five fun facts.

1. Hooah! Approximately one-third of all nurses in the United States military are male—an impressive number compared to the 4.9 percent rate among civilians.

2. Do diplomas matter to guys? Men who graduate as RNs tend to take the associate degree route over the diploma route, compared to women. Just over 53 percent of men take the associate degree route to RN licensing compared with 42.2 percent of women. With diplomas, it’s the opposite: 26.3 percent of women receive diplomas, compared to only 13.9 percent of men.

3. Guys as nurses? Nothing new, folks. Men have been serving as nurses since the third century, when the Parabolani brotherhood in Rome gave care to those who were sick and dying from the plague.

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Marijke Durning

Marijke is a professional writer who began her working career as a registered nurse over 25 years ago. After working in clinical areas ranging from rehab to intensive care, as a floor nurse to a supervisor, she found she could combine her extensive health knowledge with her love of writing. Although she has been published in a wide variety of publications for professionals and the general public, her passion is writing for the every day person to promote health literacy.