Why More Men Don't Get Into The Field Of Nursing

Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: Nursing is one of the fastest growing job fields in this country according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It's also a job, though, that is plagued by stereotypes, gender stereotypes in particular. Nearly 90 percent of all nurses today are women. Social science correspondent Shankar Vedantam wanted to figure out why there aren't more male nurses. SHANKAR VEDANTAM, BYLINE: When Robert Vaughn walks into a hospital room, people often think he's the doctor. Once they realize he's the nurse, some patients get uncomfortable. ROBERT VAUGHN: And you just go, oh, it's OK. If you don't want a male, I can talk to the charge nurse. And we'll make a note that you prefer female staff only. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) VEDANTAM: The male nurse has long been an easy punchline. You've heard the jokes in movies like "Meet The Parents." (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "MEET THE PARENTS") ROBERT DE NIRO: (As Jack Byrnes) Not many men in your profession, though,