The Experience of Being a Male Nursing Student

Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to both explain the longitudinal research process of this unique study and to provide qualitative research findings associated with what it is like to be a male nursing student. This research explored what it is like to be a male nursing student. Historically, the profession of nursing has been dominated by females yet most recently males have increasingly enrolled in United States nursing schools. In 2014 9.1% of registered nurses in the U.S are men. Currently at our university, 15-20% of incoming nursing cohorts are male. Research suggests that male students may experience sexism from floor nurses, faculty, and patients and are more likely to drop out of nursing school. This tiered longitudinal qualitative study explored the experience of being a male nursing student through multiple means. IRB approval was granted at each step of this extended research process.

Methods: Initially, admitted nursing students who were male were asked to participate in a research study in which they submitted journal entries describing what it was like to be a nursing student and what it was like to be a male nursing student during each of their 5 semesters in the nursing program. A total of 8 participants were enrolled in this initial longitudinal inquiry. Content from their journals was analyzed to create a list of precise focus group questions which were then directed to different male nursing students. For example: a student journaled that he felt most women in his Pediatric/Obstetric nursing semester had an advantage with this content because they are female. This was his perception, and to better explore this view of gender-based curricular advantage a focus group question targeting gender advantages was crafted and presented to male nursing students not involved in the journaling phase of the research.

Results: Overall focus group data revealed both thematic similarities and differences when compared to the journal entry analysis of what it is like to be a male nursing student. Findings from all data suggested small relatively easy changes to our nursing program (like changing the color of the pink BSN applications) as well as more involved concerns.

Conclusion: This data increases the understanding of this unique population thereby potentially increasing their level of retention and potentially increasing male recruitment into the program ultimately producing a more diversified nursing workforce.