The experiences of the students revealed issues related to gender bias in nursing education, practice areas, and societal perceptions that nursing is not a suitable career choice for men. Implications for nurse educators and strategies for the recruitment and retention of men nursing students are discussed.

Men still constitute a small minority of the nursing population. Although the literature has identified barriers that deter men from entering the profession, nursing schools and other stakeholders have been conservative in their efforts to recruit men. With the changes taking place in the healthcare system, nursing education programs are attracting fewer students. Active recruitment of young men may be a means of addressing nursing shortages. If nursing is to survive in the 21st century, affirmative action is needed to close the gender gap.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of adolescent children living with a parent who has a mood disorder. Three female adolescents each participated in two unstructured, tape-recorded interviews. Interviews were analysed using the Giorgi (1985) method. Three themes emerged. First, participants experienced a serious disruption in family life due to the unavailability of the ill parent, which evoked feelings of an intense sense of responsibility, fear and loss. This disruption led to the adolescent taking on parental roles and tasks. Second, participants perceived themselves to lack knowledge and understanding, leading to frustration and fears that their parents may not get better, and that they themselves may become ill like their parents. They sought information in order to better adjust to and understand the illness. Third, participants struggled to come to terms with the burden of having a psychiatrically ill parent. The effort of trying to cope and make sense of the experience involved a variety of cognitive and affective responses. Implications for nursing practice and research are discussed.

BackgroundLynch syndrome is a hereditary cancer with confirmed carriers at high risk for colorectal (CRC) and extracolonic cancers. The purpose of the current study was to develop a greater understanding of the factors influencing decisions about disease management post-genetic testing.MethodsThe study used a grounded theory approach to data collection and analysis as part of a multiphase project examining the psychosocial and behavioral impact of predictive DNA testing for Lynch syndrome. Individual and small group interviews were conducted with individuals from 10 families with the MSH2 intron 5 splice site mutation or exon 8 deletion. The data from confirmed carriers (n = 23) were subjected to re-analysis to identify key barriers to and/or facilitators of screening and disease management.ResultsThematic analysis identified personal, health care provider and health care system factors as dominant barriers to and/or facilitators of managing Lynch syndrome. Person-centered factors reflect risk perceptions and decision-making, and enduring screening/disease management. The perceived knowledge and clinical management skills of health care providers also influenced participation in recommended protocols. The health care system barriers/facilitators are defined in terms of continuity of care and coordination of services among providers.ConclusionsIndividuals with Lynch syndrome often encounter multiple barriers to and facilitators of disease management that go beyond the individual to the provider and health care system levels. The current organization and implementation of health care services are inadequate. A coordinated system of local services capable of providing integrated, efficient health care and follow-up, populated by providers with knowledge of hereditary cancer, is necessary to maintain optimal health.

Limited attention has been paid to experiences of individuals with siblings diagnosed with schizophrenia. The purpose of this article is to address this gap by exploring the impact of having a brother or sister with schizophrenia. The lived experience of 6 individuals with a sibling with schizophrenia was explored using van Manen's (1997) Hermeneutic Phenomenology. Four themes were identified: struggling to understand, struggling with the system, caring for the sibling, and seeing beyond the illness. Health care providers need to re-evaluate current approaches for assisting individuals to cope with having a sibling with schizophrenia. Inclusion in the plan of care and recognition of their struggle is essential for individuals having a sibling with schizophrenia.