Educational experience of male students in a baccalaureate nursing program in China

"To do or not to do", male nurses' experiences of providing intimate care to female patients in China, a constructivist grounded theory study

BACKGROUND

Some studies suggest that female patients have more concerns about receiving intimate care from male than female nurses. Thus, providing intimate care to female patients is a challenging experience for male nurses. The purpose of this study was to explore Chinese male nurses' experiences and process of providing intimate clinical care to female patients.

METHODS

A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to develop a theoretical understanding of male nurses' experiences. This study included participants from 3 hospitals in different locations in China. Twenty-five male nurses were recruited using purposive and theoretical sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data analysis was completed using initial coding, focused coding, theoretical coding and memo writing to produce core concepts and categories, and theory development.

RESULTS

Chinese male nurses' experiences of providing intimate care to female patients can be constructed as a three-stage process: (1) anticipation of the level of embarrassment, (2) deciding on the process: do it or not do it and (3) protecting both parties and dealing with embarrassment. Additionally, seven themes and associated categories were identified to represent the important factors in the process of male nurses providing intimate care to female patients in China.

CONCLUSIONS

Chinese traditional culture may affect the embarrassment in Chinese male nurses providing intimate care to female patients. The embarrassing situation can be divided into three different stages, and male nurses have different main concerns in each stage. Hospital nursing administrators should consider the experiences and needs of male nurses in providing intimate care and provide them with psychological support, education and training.

Employment intention and career planning of male nursing students in different levels of colleges and universities: A qualitative study

AIM

To explore the employment intention and career planning of male nursing students at different levels of colleges and universities and provide references for formulating individualized training content.

DESIGN

Phenomenological research method in qualitative research.

METHODS

Using a phenomenological research method, 15 male nursing students from three levels of colleges and universities were interviewed in a one-to-half structure, and the data were analysed using NVivo12.0 software and the Colaizzi seven-step analysis method.

RESULTS

Four themes and 10 sub-themes were extracted. The four themes included professional identity experience, nursing learning experience, career expectation and planning and educational needs. The 10 sub-themes included the negative effects of traditional impressions, the gradual establishment of professional identity, public health events promote professional identity, negative experiences in learning, positive growth from learning, varied career plans, career expectations and influencing factors, a reasonable schedule, diversity of content requirements and the positive effect of teaching teachers.

CONCLUSIONS

Influenced by many factors, the employment intention and career planning of male nursing students at different higher education levels are varied. Schools and clinical practice units should strengthen the training of employment intention and career planning and make reasonable time adjustments to the training content.

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

In total, 15 male interns accepted our interview request. We utilized their break time to conduct the interviews, resulting in significant contributions to the content of the article.

Exploring the Barriers and Coping Strategies Faced by Male Nursing Students in Japanese Nursing Education

PURPOSE

Nursing is traditionally considered a female profession, and male nursing students face gender stereotype barriers. Most studies of male nursing students in Japan focus on their learning experiences in maternal nursing, and little is known about the experiences of male nursing students in their usual learning environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the barriers and coping strategies of Japanese male nursing students in nursing education, including classroom and practical training.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive design was used to study 20 male nursing students from eight Japanese universities. Purposive sampling using the snowball method was used to recruit participants. Semistructured interviews were used to gather data about the participants' thoughts and experiences in nursing education. All interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged from the data: (1) nursing choices of own volition; (2) loneliness due to the female-dominated environment and marginalization; (3) dealing with barriers and seeking support; and (4) positive experiences in nursing education. Male nursing students face barriers such as loneliness and feelings of alienation. Family support, mutual support among male nursing students, and the presence of role models were factors that addressed these barriers and positively influenced career choice.

CONCLUSIONS

This research suggests that nursing educators need to understand the barriers faced by male nursing students and provide a gender-neutral learning environment for all students.

Self-esteem and professional identity among male nurses and male nursing students: mediating roles of perceived prejudice and psychological distress

Introduction

There are not enough nurses around the world, and there are even fewer male nurses. It has not been easy for men to become nurses because of stereotypes about the roles of men and women in the workplace, which lead to prejudice and discrimination. This study explored how the self-esteem of male nurses and male nursing students affects their professional identity in an environment where stereotypes and social prejudice exist. This study also examined the differences of relevant variables in different sociodemographic characteristics of the research subjects in a Chinese social context.

Methods

By purposive and snowball sampling, 464 male nurses and male nursing students were surveyed through questionnaires from November 2021 to January 2022. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 and PROCESS Macro 3.3.

Results

Self-esteem could indirectly affect professional identity through perceived prejudice and psychological distress. Nonetheless, self-esteem still had a significant direct effect on professional identity. The total mediating effect accounted for 32.816% of the total effect, and the direct effect accounted for 67.184% of the total effect. Also of note was that 81.7% of participants reported experiencing psychological distress.

Discussion

To improve the professional identity of male nurses and male nursing students, nursing educators and administrators should do the following: protect and improve their self-esteem; take steps to reduce social prejudice against them; value their mental health and alleviate their psychological distress.

The Influence of Gender Equity in Nursing Education Programs on Nurse Job Satisfaction

(1) Background: One of the strategies to overcome the shortage of nurses is to minimize gender inequity in nursing culture, starting from the undergraduate education program. Although the number of men entering the nursing profession has increased over the years, the portion of male nurses remains low, particularly in Asian countries. Only a few studies have been conducted to identify gender inequity in nursing, and most of these studies used qualitative study design. Therefore, it is necessary to quantitatively identify gender equity in nursing education and the influence it has on nurse job satisfaction. (2) Methods: A total of 165 male nurses participated in this study. Validated questionnaires were used to assess gender equity in nursing education programs, nurse job satisfaction, nurse job esteem, and nursing professional pride. (3) Results: The mean score of gender equity in nursing programs was 62.6, showing a positive correlation with nurse job satisfaction, nurse job esteem, and nursing professional pride. Gender equity positively predicted nurse job esteem. (4) Conclusions: The gender equity in nursing education programs has positive predictive effects on the factors that influence male nurse job satisfaction. In order to increase nurse job retention, educators should incorporate strategies to minimize gender inequity.

Male nursing students' experiences during prelicensure education: An integrative review

BACKGROUND

Males represent less than 10 % of the global nursing workforce. To increase the recruitment and representation of male nurses, their experiences in prelicensure nursing education must be understood.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this integrative review was to explore literature related to male nursing students' experiences during prelicensure education.

DESIGN

An integrative review of the literature was conducted using Whittemore and Knafl's methodology.

DATA SOURCES

Database searches of CINAHL, PubMed, ERIC, Emcare, and Scopus were conducted.

REVIEW METHODS

Database searches identified 237 articles for initial review. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were screened for relevance. Quality appraisal was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool Version 2018. Data analysis was conducted using Conventional Content Analysis.

RESULTS

Twenty-two articles (19 qualitative, two quantitative, and one mixed-methods) were included in this review. The existing literature suggests that male nursing students have generally negative experiences during their prelicensure education due to external reactions from family, friends, peers, and healthcare providers to their choice of nursing as a profession; lack of male role models; extensive assistance with physical tasks in the clinical setting; exclusion in obstetrics clinical experiences; and female-gendered descriptions of nurses within the educational environment. Fostering new relationships was identified as a positive experience during prelicensure education.

CONCLUSIONS

Generally, male nursing students have negative experiences during their prelicensure education, with limited positive experiences. As such, nurse educators should implement strategies, such as avoiding gendered references when referring to the nurse, offering male mentorship when possible, and providing comparable clinical assignments to students regardless of gender, to improve male nursing students' experiences in prelicensure education and, consequently, increase the recruitment and retention of men into the nursing profession. Future research is needed to more comprehensively understand male nursing students' experiences during prelicensure education and the impact of teaching strategies on their experiences.

Factors Influencing Male Nursing Students' Adaptation to College Life in Korea

BACKGROUND

Male nursing students face challenges in the nursing profession because of its female-centered nature. In particular, most male students in South Korea must complete military service while in college. Although these kinds of situations may make it difficult for them to adapt to college life, the number of male nursing students is gradually increasing. Therefore, it is important to identify the influencing factors to promote male nursing students' successful adaptation to college life.

PURPOSE

This study was developed to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy, social support, stress coping, and adaptation to college life among male nursing students in Korea. Factors that influence their adaptation to college life were also analyzed.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 217 male nursing students from seven colleges in Korea. Participants completed a questionnaire that was designed to measure self-efficacy, social support, stress coping, and adaptation to college life. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t test, one-way analysis of variance, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression.

RESULTS

Male nursing students' self-efficacy, social support, stress coping, and adaptation to college life were shown to all positively correlate with each other. The main factors influencing adaptation to college life were social support, self-efficacy, satisfaction with major, and problem-solving-centered stress coping.

CONCLUSIONS

Strategies to enhance social support, self-efficacy, satisfaction with major, and problem-solving-centered stress coping should be developed to improve male nursing students' adaptation to college life.

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

Background

With the expansion of nursing enrollment, more and more male students are joining the nursing program. Nevertheless, the number of male nurses who actually stay in clinical work in China continues to be low. Clinical practicum is a critical period during which nursing students transform to the role of registered nurses. However, few studies have researched the perspective and experience during clinical practicum among male nursing students in 3-year vocational colleges in China.

Objectives

To explore the perspective and experience of Chinese male nursing students during clinical practicum in the third year. One of the main objectives is to provide implications for future nursing education and to help male nursing students for better adaptation to clinical roles.

Methods

The qualitative study used a purposive sampling method and collected data through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The participants were 20 male students from a 3-year vocational college in Shanghai. They completed the basic nursing course in college and underwent a clinical practicum in the 3rd level hospitals in China between July 2020 and March 2021. A Seven-stage Colaizzi process was used for data analysis.

Results

Three themes were revealed through content analysis: opportunities and challenges brought by gender factors in hospital humanistic environment, gaining experience and growth during clinical practicum, and future career planning.

Conclusions

The presented findings further our understanding of the perspective and experience of male nursing students during clinical practicum. It is very important and necessary for providing implications for future nursing education. At the same time, effective support from society, such as social unions, mass media, government, can help better address male nursing students' needs and complete the role transform of registered nurses.

Components of the nursing role as perceived by first-year nursing students

BACKGROUND

Identifying and acquiring the nursing role is key to the development of nurses' professional identity. Understanding nursing students' perceptions in this regard will enable nursing educators to choose teaching strategies that lead to positive development of their students' professional identity.

OBJECTIVES

To describe how nursing students perceive the different components of the nursing role at the beginning of the nursing degree.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTINGS

106 first-year nursing students at the University of Huelva, Spain.

METHODS

Data on social and academic variables and variables relating to the instrumental and expressive roles were collected via an adapted, pilot-tested questionnaire assessed by experts.

RESULTS

For participants, caregiving is the core of the nursing role in the clinical setting, including both technical execution and patient care aspects. They highlighted the disease prevention, health promotion, restoration, and education profiles of nurses rather than their teaching, professional, and technical profiles. They were acquainted with the concept of postgraduate professional development, but were unaware of the academic pathways leading to it. They considered nurses to be decision-makers, who are nevertheless subordinate to doctors.

CONCLUSIONS

Students did not consider nursing to be an autonomous profession, although they highlighted its decision-making capacity. They placed greater emphasis on the traditional profile of primary care nurses than on their technical profile, and were able to identify the members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Experiences and perceptions of male nursing students in a single-sex class: A qualitative descriptive study

The shortage of human resources in nursing is a global challenge, and males may play an important role in alleviating this shortage, especially in China. Just as single-sex education has a potentially positive impact on women in male-dominated professions, it may also have the same impact on men in nursing, which may promote male engagement in nursing. This study delved into the experiences and perceptions that are peculiar to male nursing students in a single-sex class. A qualitative, descriptive design was employed using conventional content analysis. A purposive sample of 12 male nursing students in a male-only class of a university in China participated. Individual semi-structured interviews were performed between January and March 2019. Data analysis revealed five themes. Considering the negative peer influence and potential communication barriers of a male-only nursing class, establishing a male nursing student alliance instead of a male-only nursing class may be a better choice. In Asian culture, reconstructing the current social norms of gender is crucial to eliminating prejudice and male dividends and changing the definitions of masculinity, all of which are conducive to the development of male involvement in nursing.

Facilitators of Professional Communication Between Nurse and Opposite Gender Patient: A Content Analysis

Introduction: Caring for a patient of the opposite gender is followed by many challenges. Hence, making an appropriate professional communication between the patient and the nurse is of great importance in order to provide a high-quality care to the patient and reduce tensions. Identifying positive factors in the formation of an appropriate professional communication can play an important role in preventing such challenges. Materials and methodology: The current study aimed to identify the facilitators of professional communication between nurse and opposite gender patient in Iran. A qualitative method and a conventional content analysis approach were used. A total of 25 nurses were included in the study by purposive sampling. Data were collected through unstructured and semi-structured interviews in hospitals of three provinces of Northwestern Iran, and were analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman method. Results: The results included seven categories and three main themes: prevention of misunderstanding, non-violation of therapeutic relationship boundaries, and observance of the socio-individual context. Discussion: Despite accepting the difficulties of nursing care for an opposite gender patient, the results of the present study showed that paying more attention to, and carefully watching, the mentioned factors could enhance the chance to establish a proper professional communication between a nurse and an opposite gender patient, which is crucial in providing a high quality care, also improving nurses' comfort in their work environment. Therefore, it is recommended to consider these factors in academic and in-service training of nurses.