Introduction. Usually, when we think about nursing, we can imagine a woman bending over a patient and taking care of his health. This stereotype is related to a history of nursing that focuses on the feminization of the profession and the assumption that nursing should only be undertaken by women. Although in many countries, nursing is an attractive profession for men, interest in this profession by men is still rare in Poland. Aim. To assess the satisfaction of nurses with their professional work in the health care system. Material and methods. The study was conducted using the diagnostic survey method using the original questionnaire consisting of 15 closed questions and specifications. The material for the study was collected in March 2019, the opinion of 153 male nurses working in hospitals was examined in the Małopolska and Podkarpackie voivodeship. Results. The main reasons for choosing a profession among male nurses are willingness to help others (49.0%) and guaranteed employment (25.5%). Most of male nurses (72.6%) think it was easier for them to find employment due to the shortage of men in the nursing profession. The highest percentage of surveyed male nurses (81%) feel satisfied with their work. Conclusions. Despite the manifestations of discrimination against men working in the nursing profession, the work they do is professionally attractive for them. The biggest disadvantage of nursing work for men is insufficient wages in relation to liability and the excess of medical documentation.

Key words: nurse, job satisfaction, health occupation.