Thought you'd like to see this story, guys: http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=13288357

Women make up more than 90 percent of our country's nursing profession.

But, many men in the field are hoping to change those statistics and one local hospital already is.

Men who choose the nursing profession know what it's like to be in the minority.

"My class of 24 students had two males," says Mark Romportal, a registered nurse at Gundersen Lutheran.

Paul Larson, also an RN, said, "We don't have very many men in nursing, so as a young nurse I did not have a male mentor that was a nurse."

But that hasn't prevented them from feeling accepted in the workplace.

That's one of the reasons Gundersen Lutheran has earned the "Best Workplace for Men in Nursing" award.

"It's really an award for everyone," says Larson.

The nursing department has made a conscious effort to equally represent men on all marketing materials.

Department wide employees are encouraged to develop leadership skills, be inclusive and ready for change.

It's change that many male nurses would like to see continue.

"We're trying to get more out into the community to say to young kids that this is an acceptable profession for men, and it's one to be proud of," says Romportal.

Health experts expect nurses to be in high demand in the near future.

When those positions are filled, Larson is hoping men will be even better represented in his field.

Gundersen Lutheran's male nurse population has passed the 100 mark, putting the male to female ratio well above the national average.