The experience of males entering nursing: A phenomenological analysis of professionally enhancing factors and barriers

“Nursing is no place for men” ― A thematic analysis of male nursing students experiences of undergraduate nursing education

“…Set in regional Australia this study explored the participant's initial decision to enter nursing. Identifying 4 key themes -becoming a nurse; remaining a nurse; the gender experience; and recommended recruitment methods for males, Wilson [13] found a dichotomy between being accepted and hindered. The hindrances came from a perceived anxiety around low self-confidence and proving hetrosexualness; the former concern associated more with retention and wanting to do well.…”

“…The hindrances came from a perceived anxiety around low self-confidence and proving hetrosexualness; the former concern associated more with retention and wanting to do well. While issues of financial disincentives were discussed and could be equally applied to both sexes, for the mature male students in Wilson's [13] study the need to provide financial security for their family was a major issue, one that could only be suitably rectified when they were registered nurses. When it came to gender experiences, the male students appeared to receive mixed messages about their presence as nursing students.…”

“…There was appeared to be something nefarious in their motives to be nurses. Wilson's [13] (p230) respondents reported that areas of interest to them once qualified such as midwifery or paediatrics were greeted with anger and disdain -midwifery was considered "women's business" and "…a male nurse shouldn't be anywhere near kids". Not dissimilar to Kelly et al's [10] earlier work the key findings give a representative view of the motivators and barriers men commonly face during their nursing education -feminisation of the nursing curriculum, stable career path and the feminine image of the nurse.…”

“…To date there are only a few studies that have examined the experiences from a qualitative perspective. One of the more notable studies is that of Wilson [13] . Set in regional Australia this study explored the participant's initial decision to enter nursing.…”

Two male nurses’ experiences of caring for female patients after intimate partner violence: a South African perspective

“…In the nursing fraternity male nurses are often a minority group (Patterson & Morin 2002;Wilson 2005) and often have to study and work under supervision of women (MacIntosh 2002). Male nurses who take care of survivors of IPV belong at the same time to the carer group (nurses) and the perpetrator group (men), a contradictory position that may affect the care rendered to survivors.…”