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As his four-year term as president of the American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) comes to a close this October, Jason Mott, PhD, RN, says the organization’s membership has nearly doubled while its financial position has strengthened. But he believes the work is far from finished. Recruiting more men into nursing, ensuring nurses have a voice in shaping artificial intelligence, and advocating for safe staffing remain among the profession’s biggest priorities.
Mott, a professor of nursing in the School of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, said his primary goal was to stabilize the organization and position it for long-term growth.
“I have been the president for the past 4 years. In my time as president, I focused on stabilizing the organization and laying the foundation for it to grow and move forward. So far, I have been very successful in that, as our membership numbers have nearly doubled and we have a strong financial standing. The plan for the next two years is to grow in the work that has already been started,” he said.
For Mott, recruiting more men into nursing isn’t simply about representation. It’s about strengthening the nursing workforce and improving patient care. He believes that starts with challenging long-standing misconceptions about men in the profession.
Breaking Down Persistent Stereotypes
Despite efforts to recruit more men into nursing, Mott said outdated stereotypes continue to discourage some from pursuing the profession.
“There are still several stereotypes that exist,” he said. “Men are either thought to be the physician or that they were not smart enough to go to medical school. There are also stereotypes that all men in nursing are gay. Finally, there is the perception that men aren’t caring enough to be nurses.”
Mott believes increased visibility of male nurses will help break down those misconceptions.
“I think the best thing that can be done is to continue to educate the public about the things that men bring into nursing. Also, as we continue to increase the numbers, more people will see what male nurses do and how they do it. I think this will also help decrease the stereotypes.”
Building the Future Nursing Workforce
One way AAMN hopes to change that is through its FutureRN campaign, which provides free resources for educators to introduce middle and high school students to nursing careers.
“I believe that organizations like AAMN play a crucial role in increasing the number of men in nursing and helping with the nursing workforce,” Mott said.
“One way that we have done this is through our FutureRN campaign. With this campaign, we have created free resources for people to use to go into high schools and middle schools to talk about nursing as a career. Research has shown that boys need to be exposed to nursing in middle and high school. So, going into the schools provides us the ability to hopefully capture more men into nursing.”
The organization has also expanded its outreach by participating in the American School Counselors Association conference to encourage school counselors to present nursing as a career option for boys.
“I think organizations need to continue to portray nursing as a career for men to attract more of them,” Mott said.
Why Gender Diversity Benefits Patients
“When you think about increased diversity in nursing and why we need a diverse nursing workforce, the biggest thing that I can say is that patients and communities want healthcare providers who look like them,” he said.
“Whether it is the same racial/ethnic background or gender, people can better relate to caregivers who look like them and understand many of the similar life experiences that they may have had.”
He noted that male nurses may also be uniquely positioned to connect with male patients who often delay seeking medical care.
“In terms of men in nursing, male nurses can understand the male mindset when it comes to healthcare. We know that men often don’t seek healthcare until they are sick and not able to perform how they like. Men in nursing understand the male mindset and can help relate to men, getting them to open up more and get the healthcare that they often won’t seek.”
A Profession Built for Career Growth
For men considering nursing, Mott said the profession offers long-term stability, flexibility, and opportunities for advancement.
“The biggest thing with nursing is that there will always be a need for nurses,” he said. “Many men who get into nursing do so as second career nurses.”
He added that nursing allows professionals to move between specialties throughout their careers while offering competitive salaries and opportunities for leadership.
“One of the best things about nursing is that you can do a lot of different areas. If you get tired of doing one type of nursing, you can go to many different areas. Some require additional schooling, but others don’t. Nurses are respected within the community as well. Nurses also have good salaries, which are great for supporting a family and building your life. The opportunities for advancement allow for even more financial stability.”
Nurses Must Help Shape AI in Healthcare
Looking ahead, Mott believes artificial intelligence and technology will have one of the greatest impacts on nursing, but he cautioned that technology should support, not replace, bedside care.
“I think that AI and technology will be the biggest things that affect nursing and healthcare in the near future,” he said. “I think they provide a lot of opportunities that allow for better patient care. However, it is important to understand that hands-on care is still a requirement. We need to have the human touch and knowledge to make the best use of available technology.”
He also believes nurses should have a leading role in deciding how new technologies are implemented.
“Nurses need to be on the frontlines when it comes to discussions and implementation of technology into the healthcare setting, as nurses are typically the people who use the technology the most. Nurses need to be able to step up to take a place at the table.”
Safe Staffing Remains One of Nursing’s Biggest Challenges
Among the issues receiving too little attention, Mott pointed to unsafe staffing levels and growing patient assignments.
“One of the areas is the debate around safe staffing numbers,” he said. “In many states and organizations, nurses face unsafe patient numbers. With short staffing leading to higher nurse-to-patient ratios, patient care can suffer.”
He said increasing patient acuity has only intensified the problem.
“Instead of having 3-4 patients as a nurse, many nurses face 8-10 patients or more. This is even worse in areas such as long-term care, where one nurse may be responsible for 30-40 residents. Patient acuity is getting higher, yet we expect nurses to care for more individuals.”
Mott said meaningful change will require continued advocacy from both nurses and professional organizations.
“Nurses and organizations need to get involved in the political arena to advocate for mandated nurse-to-patient ratios and safe staffing guidelines.”
Safe staffing, workforce recruitment, and the responsible adoption of AI remain among nursing’s biggest challenges. As AAMN prepares for new leadership later this year, those priorities are expected to remain central to the organization’s mission while continuing to shape the future of the nursing profession.
