Factors influencing recruitment and retention of male nurses in Macau and mainland China: a collaborative, qualitative study

Abstract

Background Macau and the Mainland China have different political and socio-economic policies but are both influenced by Chinese culture. By comparing the professional development experiences of male nurses from Macau and the Mainland, this study aims to explore factors influencing the recruitment and retention of male nurses. Methods A collaborative, qualitative approach was adopted in which researchers from Macau and the Mainland were jointly involved in carrying out interviews and analyzing data. A total of 24 clinical male nurses were invited, with 12 each from Macau the Mainland. Recruitment was based on purposive sampling from various health institutions in the two regions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2017–2018 with similar interview guidelines for both Macau and the Mainland sites. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis, and Nvivo11 Plus software was used to facilitate the analysis. Results Key facilitators/barriers to recruitment and retention of male nurses were clustered under the two research questions: 1) What are the factors influencing the recruitment of male nurses? 2) What are the factors influencing the retention of male nurses? Males in Macau and the Mainland experienced pressure while entering nursing because of the stereotype that nursing is a feminine occupation. However, males in Macau chose nursing as a college major under their own volition while males in the Mainland were mostly forced into nursing. The males in Macau hardly thought of leaving nursing while their Mainland counterparts constantly felt uncertain about their professional future. The males on both sides hoped to thrive in career development. While the Macanese tended to pursue advanced programs in specialty nursing for better health care in the frontline, the Mainlanders wanted to get promoted to leave the frontline. Conclusion Male nurses in Macau and Mainland share some common experiences in professional development but have different views and values regarding nursing.

Perspective and Experience of Male Nursing Students in 3-year Vocational College During Their Clinical Practicum: A Qualitative Study in Shanghai, China

“…A previous study found that men in Macau did not think a lot about leaving nursing, while male nurses on the mainland often felt uncertain about their career prospects. At present, the salary of nurses in Macao is much higher than the average income levels ( 38 ). Moreover, in most Hospitals in China, nurses with diplomas and degrees have similar responsibilities and salaries, with a difference of about $50 ( 6 ), which may influence male nursing students' professional recognition and ambition.…”

Current occupational well‐being status and protective and risk factors of male nurses in Chengdu, China: A cross‐sectional study

“…The job characteristic dimension results indicate that the male nurses' work autonomy is not high. Most male nurses in China do not like the nursing profession and feel uncertain about the future of their careers (Mao et al., 2020). A higher proportion of male than female nurses have reportedly been victims of physically aggressive behaviour (Edward et al., 2016).…”

Current Stereotypes Associated with Nursing and Nursing Professionals: An Integrative Review

“…C.6 Male Nurses: Shame and Embarrassment Some nursing students were ashamed by their perceived rejection by society, their families, their friends, and other healthcare professionals when they expressed their desire to become nurses [48]. This rejection and the possibility or reality of being mocked [37,41] provoke shame in many male nurses, who opt to avoid telling people that they are nurses [23,31,35]; conceal their work using ambiguous terms such as 'healthcare professional' [31,41]; or hide in units where little contact with the public is required [29].…”

“…In Sales-Mauricio and colleagues' study [48], 10.5% of respondents stated that their desire to become nurses was met with comments from their social circles such as: "But you're clever, why don't you study medicine?". In Mao and colleagues' paper [31], the comments made were "You're a guy. Why nursing?…”

“…Nursing is sometimes perceived as a repetitive, "boring job" [23] or as a "dirty job" [39], of little importance to patients [23]. Nurses' work was viewed as stressful as they have to deal with distressed patients and relatives, as well as difficult, demanding, laborious, and requiring intense physical effort [31].…”