Dive Brief:

• Several nursing programs across the country are reporting slight increases in male enrollees. The current national average of male nurses is 5%. 
• One example: Centralia College in Washington, has seen an increase in male students in the past two years, with 11 of the 48 being male—about 23% of its program. It's the highest percentage of male students ever, according to the school. 
• In North Platte, Nebraska, Mid-Plains Community College's nursing program also has more male enrollees. Five out of 56 students are men, which represents an increase over the last four years.

Dive Insight:

Bring on the guys! Unless you've been living in a cave, you know we're facing a nursing and physician shortage here in the United States, so the more qualified healthcare providers there are to care for the influx of newly insured patients, the better. Also, the increase in male nurses means the sexist stigma that nursing is for ladies only is lessening. And there are obvious benefits to patient experience to consider: Some male nursing students say they hope to be a resource and a welcome sight for male patients who might appreciate them.