NURSES WEEK IS MAY 6-12: Meet the Columbus Man Pushing for More Male Nurses to Bridge Cultural Gaps

When Ibrahim Kamara was in the hospital recovering from foot surgery, he was struck by the fact that all his nurses were female.

While he deeply appreciated the care and compassion he received, he also observed a significant gap in male representation within the nursing field and recognized that in his culture, there are specific sensitivities regarding caregiving, such as the taboo of being seen by female caregivers in a vulnerable state.

Kamara is a native of Sierra Leone in West Africa,

where he always dreamed of a profession in a medical field to fuel his desire to give back to others.

During his care, he had a realization. “Right at that moment I came to realize that there is a shortage of male nurses in the nursing field and there are many patients that would love to see a male nurse taking care of their health conditions or needs due to their cultural differences,” he says. “Most patients are morally distressed probably because of lack of knowledge on whether they have the right to ask for a particular type of nurse who will take care of their health needs or not. These patients will accept anything against their needs and cultural belief just because they need help. We need to change this narrative by encouraging more male nurses to enter the field of nursing. That was why I made a promise right in my hospital bed that when my health condition improves and I got discharged, I shall become a nurse in other for me to help bridge those gaps and to help those already existing nurses taking good care of our patients’ health needs.”

When he was growing up in Sierra Leone,

Ibrahim Kamara had dreamed of a career as a medical doctor. Although he initially wanted to pursue a career in healthcare in his home country, he faced significant barriers. In his country, becoming a higher-level medical professional typically requires either coming from an affluent family or receiving sponsorship from a wealthy organization.

While he earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics and worked teaching high school math and economics, Kamara never lost his desire to give back to others, driven by his belief in the importance of “paying it forward.” Seeking a better opportunity to help others without the constraints of his home country, Kamara made the decision to come to the United States.

Today,

Kamara is an Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) student at Hondros College of Nursing at the school’s Independence, Ohio (Columbus) campus, making him one of a growing number of men entering the female-dominated field of nursing.

Nursing continues to be one of the most in-demand professions nationwide and while the field continues to be dominated by women, men are entering the profession at greater rates than ever before. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 13.2 percent of registered nurses are now men, up from 2.7 percent male RNs in 1970 and 9.6 percent in 2011, while male licensed practical nurses (LPN) make up 10.4 percent of nurses today. As the nation’s population ages, the bureau projects nursing will grow by six percent, faster than average for all professions, representing opportunities for men and women alike seeking a career in nursing.

Kamara is passionate about patient advocacy and ensuring patients’ rights are respected.

He is driven by his compassion, a trait that has helped guide his life.

“Compassion is an element in me that I think is more valuable when it comes to taking care of people in need,” he says. “I don’t love to see where my fellow human being suffers too much or even too little without me offer to help in my own little way. That I think is a good trait and more applicable in the field of nursing where most, if not all of our patients are in need of help and encouragement.”