A nurse can indeed be an man. It is a non-gender-specific term. However, nursing has been a female-dominated profession for so long that when we hear the word 'nurse' out of context, we cannot help but conjure up an image of a woman in a dress. For that reason you sometime hear the term 'male nurse' used to clarify the nurse's gender. (In the same way as people still feel it necessary to use the term 'woman doctor' these days - regardless of the fact that there are now more female medical graduates in the UK than male ones!) So, to avoid these issues, we tend to use alternative terms, particularly in the context of job descriptions. 'Carer' or 'care provider' would be fine. 'Provider' is actually a useful term, because it is quite broad - eg 'Healthcare provider' includes doctors, physios, all sorts of people. There is also the term 'nursing assistant', but this is slightly different from the 'nurse' in that it suggests that they are less qualified than a nurse. Eg a nurse would be allowed to administer medical care, whereas a nursing assistant would deal more with bathing, dressing etc. Hope that helps - do come back to me if you need further clarification. I could also check with friends in this profession if you need more precise answers.

Yes, it is the same word: Nurse can be man or woman. The slang word for this is "Murse" (do not use when speaking to a male nurse). Some people say "Male Nurse" but also this in not accepted in formal discussion because it implies a normal Nurse is a woman. So just say Nurse.