To all the men and women out there looking for a challenging, rewarding career, Jerry Intlekofer has some friendly advice.

Think about nursing.

Motivated by a desire to enter a field that would help others, Intlekofer chose nursing and he's never looked back.

"Nursing offers the opportunity to think of new and better ways to care for patients, to be innovative," he says.

Intlekofer is among a growing number of men who have made nursing their career of choice. He thinks that's a healthy thing for the profession and likens the trend to the increasing number of women enrolling in medical schools.

"In my nursing class back in 1999, 25 percent were male," he says. "A decade ago, it probably would have been 10 percent. I think more people are seeing more opportunities out there for career choices."

Intlekofer's love of nursing is reflected in his commitment to nurse recruitment. He gives a pep talk and shares recruitment packets with nursing students who rotate through his patient care unit. His enthusiasm is a natural extension of his own appreciation for the teamwork and camaraderie found among those with whom he works.

"What we do, we do well," Intlekofer says. "I really like the environment of this hospital. Everybody here is well educated, smart, and positive, and a lot of interesting things happen during the day. It's good work. It's not always easy, but it's good."