UE 6.2 S5

« Men in Nurse »

Présentation of Actors

Student in 3rd year in nurse school. I’m engaged since my first year to the rights of nursing students through the FNESI. FNESI is the national federation of the nursing students in France. FNESI is a member of ENSA (European Nursing Students Association). The European Nursing Student Association (ENSA) is an organised network for cooperation between national nursing student organisations or colleges of nursing in Europe. The purpose of ENSA is to bring together European nursing students and representatives from all countries across Europe.

This association wants to discuss both practical and theoretical parts of nursing education, look at the differences and similarities, give and receive advice, and help each other understand the world of nursing.

I decided you’re talking about an awareness campaign on the nurse profession in Europe. In fact ENSA make a campaign which name is “Men in Nurse”. This campaign it’s about the place of men (male nurses) in nursing education. It has been established in Denmark only at present, but it has to bring developer in Europe.

Why Denmark?

First of all. We should have in mind, that the country and society in Denmark and France, and the way it is doing welfare and education, are different. I will to present to you the situation in Denmark in history and at present. After this, I will present the terms of the campaign.

After World War II Denmark have needs of nurse, so the proposal was presented, that try to allow male nurses. The first 7 men were appointed nurses in fall 1954. A half year after ending the education, because it required a change to the Authorization act. Until then only women could be nurses in Denmark. In France, this authorisation for men in nurse school takes place in 1939.

Denmark still needs nurses, and maybe now more than never. The unemployment among nurses are around 1 %. Even though, men can be nurses as well as women, only 3.5 % of all nurses in Denmark are men. In France, in 2014, this figure it was 13.5%. The Reasons for this may be many: Stigmatising of men in nursing (For example they are gay, couldn't be a doctor, womanizer). Maybe the boys don't know, that nursing is a possibility. If you ask a boy in elementary school what he wants to be when he grow up, and he want to work with humans, he probably say doctor.

The campaign:

Danish Nursing Student Association is going in three directions: 1. keep the men who have already started. 2. Get more men to seek the study. 3. We know, that there has to be a societal change in the long run.

1. We have gone in dialogue with the educational institutions for example about class composition and have created meeting for the male student, and helped them making social male groups.

2. We have made a campaign movie, trying getting into the social medias, also with a Facebook page: "Men can be nurses". All the local boards have cardboard figures with men, which they can use to their events. Reading letters for newspaper, and going into the medias.

3. Talking to politicians, and tell them about the problems. And we are going into a cooperation with Danish Nursing Organization, to use a bigger voice together.

I can have this information because I’m in contact with a member of the executive Committee in Danish Nursing Student Association.

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