Don't call it women's work(2)

Male nurses clean themselves before going into the operation room at Handan No 2 Hospital in Hebei province. [Photo by Hao Qunying / For China Daily]

But not every male nurse enters the profession willingly, since many applied at university to be doctors but didn't score high enough on the entrance exam. In fact, many male nursing students choose different careers after graduating, and some leave for other professions after working at a hospital for a year or two.

"Many male nurses are encouraged by other people to be a nurse, and don't make the decision themselves," says Deng, also the deputy director of the male nurse working committee under the Chinese Nursing Association.

"A lot of male nurses quit the job, because nursing doesn't offer satisfaction in terms of salary or social status."

Although nurses receive intensive professional training and some hold a master's or doctorate degree, their salaries are relatively low. For men, who are often supposed to be the main breadwinner of a family in Chinese society, the job is not financially attractive, given the long hours, Deng says.

Another issue is that some people still discriminate against male nurses, and the stereotype that nursing is a feminine profession makes many men feel uncomfortable with the idea of becoming a nurse, Deng adds.

Working in an ICU and emergency and operation rooms doesn't require much communication with patients and their families, and Deng believes that is partly why most male nurses work in those departments.

"Nursing is a job, and it should not be stereotyped with any gender," Deng says. "Both men and women are capable of being a good nurse."

Health authorities have been making efforts to train and employ more male nurses, and the number of registered male nurses has increased from 21,000 in 2010 to 30,000 now.

In April, the male nurse working committee was established under the Chinese Nursing Association to offer male nurses training opportunities, and also to promote a positive image of male nurses among the public.

Chinese people now have an increasing acceptance of male nurses, especially in developed areas, Deng adds.

Liu Bao, the male nurse at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, says at the beginning of his career, it was common for female patients to refuse his treatment and request a female nurse. But now that's no longer the case.