Nurses are the backbone of the New South Wales (NSW) public health system, but persistent workforce shortages pose an ongoing challenge. In Australia, there is a predicted shortage of over 70,000 nurses by 2035, especially in acute care. Traditional solutions like recruiting internationally trained nurses and increasing university placements are proving unsustainable in the long term, particularly as demand for nursing increases. Multifaceted solutions are therefore needed to address this challenge.

This report proposes a series of targeted strategies to help address the ongoing nursing workforce shortages in NSW, outlining ways to recruit and retain more men into the profession. 

This research explored potential strategies to improve the recruitment and retention of men in NSW nursing using a multistage approach that included an extensive literature review, expert input and a stakeholder workshop. It examined international efforts to address similar workforce challenges, exploring how initiatives in other countries have sought to increase the number of men in nursing. 

The study identified multiple opportunities for change with mentorship and peer support emerging as the greatest priority for student and professional retention. Across the recruitment and retention pipeline, there are opportunities to increase the number of men in nursing to help address nursing shortages in NSW.