Hidden advantages for men in nursing

Men comprise a small minority of professional nurses in the United States. Yet men in nursing earn more money than women on average, and they are overrepresented in administration and other prestigious specialties. This article explores the hidden advantages for men in the profession, focusing on (1) hiring and promotions, (2) relationships with physicians and colleagues, and (3) relationships with patients. Data from in-depth interviews with male nurses throughout the United States are used to demonstrate that cultural and social stereotypes about masculinity pressure men into some of the best-paying and most prestigious nursing specialties. Administrators are encouraged to develop more gender-sensitive criteria for evaluating performance that reward both reputedly "masculine" and "feminine" qualities.