The MINT's Visions and Values

AS well as being a community for healthcare workers throughout the world, the MINT also has visions of what it would like to achieve.

The 10%

For decades men have been a minority within the nursing profession, In 1955, following a gradual increase, men represented 10% of NHS nurses, by 2015 this figure had risen to 11% (A history of men in nursing, Megan Ford, 2019). by 2018 the workforce had grown to 11.5% (NMC 2018), moving on four years and this number has unfortunately dropped again with only 11% of the UK nursing workforce identifying themselves as men and 89% identify as female (www.nurses.co.uk).

Although Nursing care was predominantly given by men (Carson-Newman University Online) in modern day society there seems to be a stigma attached to men becoming nurses (Miller, C. C., and Fremson, R. January 2018).

Working with children across different age groups the overall opinion is that nurses tend to be women (Darren Aldrich, Men are doctors and women are nurses. Right? Of course not, but is this what primary school kids really think? www.hee.nhs.uk).

There is also a stigma relating to sexual orientation attached to men who go into the nursing profession, due to nursing being a caring and compassionate industry it is a perception from others that men in this field must be feminine or homosexual (3 Myths About Male Nurses You’re Probably Tired Of Hearing, Rozzette Cabrera, R.N, 2017).

Another area that has been perceived by men within the nursing profession, is that men quickly end up in managerial positions and quickly travel up the glass elevator, whilst it is true that some individuals aspire to be in managerial places, or in executive roles, there are many nurses who are happy to provide patient care and happy to be in staff nurse roles (The Male Nurse: Benefits and Percentages of Men in Nursing Betty Egan Apr 1, 2021)

From 2018 the MINT have worked with schools across Yorkshire, enabling nurses to go to career days and fayres to showcase diversity within the workforce.

We have spoken out on local radio stations and local news stations to showcase our vision and aims.

We have reached out to Universities and NHS trusts to highlight the work we are trying to achieve and hope to give support to Student nurses starting out in their career, along with staff that work within healthcare who may need some support or just a community to go to.

So what is the MINT doing to help change perceptions?

Disclaimer

The MINT work alongside our female and non binary colleagues to help spread the word about nursing and healthcare professions. We do not oppose progression for female staff or others within the workforce. The MINT is happy to state that 10% of its membership is female or nonbinary.