A quick google search will give you all sorts of stats, but I was interested to see how the numbers have increased. When I did my nursing degree (won't tell you the year I graduated), the number of males was only about 4%. It is great that more men are realizing what a tremendous profession it is. Nursing offers such a range of practice areas, the potential to work full or part time, to travel, raise a family, the challenge of continuous learning and working with scarce resources, but most of all, to be such an important part of health care.
http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/utoday/october4-2011/nursing
The number of males enrolled in first-year nursing has reached an all-time high. Of the 123 students to enter their first year in September directly out of high school, 13 per cent are men while male transfer students—those with their optional courses completed—totaled 21 per cent.
The average in the past 10 years has hovered around 9 per cent with the lowest at 6 per cent in 2008.
“Our number of male students has consistently been rising as has the overall numbers across the country, but this has been a significant increase,” says Dianne Tapp, dean of the nursing faculty. “We like to think much of it has to do with the credentials and reputation of our program. But there are other factors as well, including the great job prospects at the completion of the degree.”
The Canadian Nurses Association reports of the 266,000 registered nurses practicing in 2009, only 6.2 per cent are men