Men in Nursing

The past several years has seen a lot of talk around men in nursing. But it might do everyone well to take a walk back through history and discover that the two have gone hand in hand for centuries.

Formal nursing care, that is care provided to the sick and injured in a hospital like setting, was happening at least as early as the time of the Crusades. Knights of the Crusades were fighting men, and members of religious organizations. It was these organizations that opened hospitals to care for people.

The Knights Hospitallers were formed in Jerusalem in the 11th century to provide care to Christian pilgrims. The nurses were men.

Teutonic Knights were an order inspired by a hospital originally opened by a German couple to treat German pilgrims.

There were other organizations as well, including monasteries, where hospitals were opened and nursing care provided by men. Even during later battles it was men who provided care to injured soldiers.

But as wars such as the USA Civil War took the lives of many men it opened the doors for women to take on formal roles as nurses. Somewhere along the way nursing organizations formed and excluded men. However, in the 1950's nursing schools opened their doors to men who wished to become nurses and the rest, well, is history perhaps repeating itself.

As for me personally, I welcome men in to the profession and have worked with many fine male nurses.

Below I have provided links to supportive and informational organizations.

If you would like to share your own stories regarding men in the nursing field, why not write it in the form at the bottom of this page. It will remain here on this web site for other visitors to read and leave comments.

Organizations for Men in Nursing

Are you a male nurse? Have you ever worked with male nurses? Share your stories in support of men in the nursing field. Remember, they were the first in recorded history to provide formal care to the sick and injured; they have always belonged.