In the nursing community, where female nurses are still dominant, male nurses have been gradually increasing.

However, gender discrimination against male nurses persists, a recent survey showed.

The Korean Man-nurses Association (KMA) released the survey results conducted on 237 male nurses last year.

Ninety-nine out of the 237 respondents worked at tertiary hospitals, 73 at general hospitals, 12 at clinics and nursing homes, 10 at hospitals and specialty hospitals, and 43 others.

Most male nurses worked as general nurses. A majority of 60 percent (142) were general nurses, 15.2 percent (36), physician assistants and surgeon assistants, and 5.5 percent (13), administrative nurses.

By age, 81 percent (192) were aged 40 or younger.

“The period where the proportion of male nurses began to rise was short, and male nurses do not maintain their work for a long time and move to other jobs,” the male nurses’ group said.

Of the total, 35.4 percent (84) said they experienced gender discrimination while working at medical institutions.

Examples of discrimination include assigning physically active work only to male nurses, the lack of locker rooms and toilets for male nurses, not counting their military service, no separate leave such as health leave for male nurses, intentional bullying by female nurses, assigning miscellaneous work to male nurses only, and excluding them from promotion.

To correct the unfair practices, male nurses demanded that medical institutions install facilities for male nurses, reduce physically active labor, guarantee promotion, revise hierarchical work structure, recognize military service, build networks for male nurses, and prevent discrimination in leave, welfare and work.

Still, most male nurses said they were satisfied with their work. When asked if they were satisfied with their current job, 106 out of 237 people (44.7 percent) answered “average.” Seventy-nine (33.3 percent) said they were “satisfied,” and 22 (9.3 percent), “very satisfied.” Twenty-five (10.5 percent) said they were “dissatisfied.”

The biggest reason for dissatisfaction with their jobs was insufficient salary (19.5 percent), followed by uncertainty about the future (13.1 percent) and lack of promotion opportunities (5.1 percent).

Seventy-two male nurses (30.4 percent) made less than 50 million won annually, 46 (19.4 percent), less than 40 million won, 43 (18.1 percent), less than 60 million won, 15 (6.3 percent), less than 70 million won, and 13 (5.5 percent), less than 30 million won.

The male nurses’ group said the latest poll was basic research for the main survey, thus having insufficient content.

“If we conduct a regular survey continuously, it will be significant to evaluate Korean male nurses’ role and competency.”

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