Getting Guys into the Game

James D'Astolfo admits that he got into nursing as a fluke. When the health products company he worked for underwent restructuring, D'Astolfo, the junior salesperson on staff, was laid off. He knew he had to return to school and do something with his life, and looked into nursing. Family members were skeptical. "You know what nurses do?" they said, reciting the stereotypical public view, "They're people who give bed baths all day and change briefs. They do all those mundane tasks."

Undeterred, D'Astolfo earned his BScN in 2007, learned just how wrong his family's perception was, and now seeks to let others know about it – particularly other guys.

Promoting the Profession of Nursing

To achieve this goal, D'Astolfo founded the Canadian Men in Nursing Group (CMNG) approximately one year ago. This Canadian national group is made up of RNs, practical nurses, and nursing students, and seeks to support men in the profession of nursing. Their main mission is to provide a voice for men in nursing, and they hope to support and strengthen the image of nursing as a viable profession for men.

To do this, the CMNG is actively involved in educating the public, and high school and middle school students about the profession of nursing and about men in nursing. They speak to politicians, engage in media campaigns, and speak on radio and television about the nursing profession. To educate students, members visit schools to make presentations to students about the wide range of opportunities open to nurses.

D'Astolfo enthusiastically explains: "It's a profession with so many options and choices! It's not just in a hospital, there are opportunities in the military and in the community, a person can work as a flight nurse, or on a cruise ship in the Bahamas! It's so vast, and there are so many opportunities to grow."

To promote nursing to adolescents, D'Astolfo himself has already done about 30 talks in schools throughout Ontario. When asked how much time his work with CMNG takes, he admits that it takes quite a bit of time, but, "My goal is to change the image of the profession for the betterment of the profession. I don't really consider it an issue of time."

Challenges & Future Plans

D'Astolfo and the CMNG are actively involved in revamping their educational program for schools, and are developing a 100-page report on the problems that men in nursing face. D'Astolfo gives examples, such as the stereotypes and image issues – like his family related – which prevent people from entering the profession. And he wants to encourage nursing schools to adopt a more inclusive educational system, with more male faculty members and more gender-neutral language, to give males more role models and to help men who choose nursing to feel less isolated. The report, which they hope to have completed later in 2008, will be available for governments, members, schools, and nursing groups, and anyone interested in the issue.

The CMNG continues to work with and to develop contacts and partnerships within nursing, including with other men-in-nursing groups, such as the Male Association of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania (MAN-UP). The CMNG is also developing a strategic plan and are trying to elicit new sources of funding. Currently, most funds are through membership, but they are hoping that their promotional efforts will get the government onside, to realize the significance of the issue of men in nursing, particularly in the light of the ongoing nursing shortage.

If you would like more information about the CMNG, or if you would like to join, or would like to start your own group, please contact CMNG's president and founder, James D'Astolfo, BScN(Hons), RN, at dastolfoj@yahoo.ca. The CMNG is still in the process of developing a website. And for more information about men in nursing, see: • American Assembly for Men in Nursing • DiscoverNursing.com's Men in Nursing page • Male Nurse Magazine • Men in Nursing journal • Minority Nurse (men in nursing articles)

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