Edinburgh man who left banking to become nurse shares story to encourage others

Just 10% of Scottish nurses are male despite men making up nearly half the population - and its forecast to drop.

Forth News is hearing the story of an Edinburgh man who bucked the trend and left the high-flying banking world to become a nurse.

Bruce Harper-McDonald worked in HBOS but felt unsatisfied and packed it all in to study a nursing degree.

He says: “You can’t put a price on being there with somebody for the last days of their life. You can’t quantify that in terms of a bonus you got once a year working for a bank,” he says.

Mr. McDonald was one of just 6 men in his graduating class of 300 students.

“I think it’s just traditionally been thought that nursing is a job for women,” he says.

“If you’ve got an increase in the recognition of men with say something like breast cancer sometimes they may want a male nurse.”

But one Edinburgh University is trying to stop the decline. Edinburgh Napier is holding special events, rejigging their marketing and sharing stories of successful male nurses in order to inspire future recruits.

Edinburgh Napier is holding an event at their Sighthill campus tonight from 6 – 8pm where you can meet experts in the field and find out about their nursing degree