A number of barriers to men entering the nursing workforce, including the common public perception of men being unsuitable to the profession, will be one of the topics discussed at the Australian College of Nursing’s (ACN) annual National Nursing Forum.

“This year’s theme for our National Nursing Forum focuses on ‘Diversity and Difference’,” said Australian College of Nursing CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN.

“Over 90 per cent of the Australian nursing workforce is female-dominated, and our signature event is the perfect opportunity to explore a range of issues including those that deter men from considering a career in nursing.

“The current nursing workforce in Australia is ageing and by 2030, we are predicted to be short 125,000 nurses. To attract and retain men to the nursing profession would certainly diversify the workforce and help address this looming shortage.

“We anticipate nurses to share insights on how nursing is currently promoted to students, where nursing is as a profession today and how it will develop to tackle the future health challenges in Australia.”

One of the presenters on day one of the Forum is Registered Nurse Haydon Cunninghame MACN who will be discussing men in nursing.

“The typical stereotype of a nurse does not usually fall first to a man which lends to the image of the gender not being suited to the profession. The more that this issue is examined in public settings, the better chance that we have of adapting that common perception of the profession to contemporary ideas,” said Mr Cunninghame.

ACN’s National Nursing Forum will be held on the 28 – 30 August at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Hundreds of nurse leaders from across the country and internationally are expected to attend the three-day event.

For more information about the Forum please visit: https://www.acn.edu.au/event/the-national-nursing-forum-2018.