Friday, 26 July 2019: 11:20 AM
Purpose: Cultural diversity of the nursing workforce has been linked to safer and more culturally relevant care. However, with 92% of the nursing workforce comprised of women, the profession is not a demographic reflection of the diversity within the U.S. While men represent approximately half of the U.S. population, only about 8% of all nurses are male. Recruitment of men into the profession and meaningful nursing education is critical to patient safety. The extant literature indicates than male nurses have reported anxiety regarding intimate touch in care provision, being asked to perform heavy lifting of patients and equipment, being discouraged from working in obstetrical clinical settings, and are often reminded of their gendered otherness. To improve recruitment efforts and provide better-focused nursing education, more information about the male experience of being a nurse is required. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience and meaning of nursing for men.
Methods: This qualitative study utilized the participatory action research method of Photovoice. Ten participants were invited to take photographs that represented the experience and meaning of their work. Seven participants were nursing students with clinical experience and three were Registered Nurses. After the cameras were returned, the photographs were copied into a PowerPoint file. The men were invited to free write about the meaning of each photograph and engage in a semi-structured, photo-elicited interview. Thematic data analysis was conducted using the qualitative software program ATLAS.ti. After all data were collected and analyzed, the participants met as a group to discuss the project and choose which photographs would be included in a Photovoice presentation.
Results: The men described three stages in the journey to finding meaning in their work as nurses. The beginning stage of their career was strongly influenced by significant interactions within their families and with experiences with Registered Nurses that served as catalysts for seeking nursing education. They viewed nursing as a profession with many opportunities to make meaningful change in the lives of people and within their world. The men were intentional and very proud of their choice of nursing as a profession. The educational stage of their journey provided experiences that shaped their clinical practice and meaning development. A strong background in liberal arts, scientific and nursing education was the bedrock of their practice. They described pivotal experiences with nursing faculty and fellow students as shaping their understanding of their role within nursing. In the academic setting, the men learned to apply the scientific knowledge and altruistic values inherent in nursing. Clinical experiences were viewed as instrumental for NCLEX success; yet in clinical areas such as obstetrics the men sometimes were given alternative assignments in lieu of hands on experience. The men sometimes struggled to navigate what they felt were unwritten rules of working within a female dominated profession. In the work stage, the men discussed the importance of providing nursing care that was rooted in scientific and nursing knowledge. They acknowledged the importance of lifelong learning and the personal responsibility to seek opportunities to continue learning. They served as advocates for patients, their families, and colleagues. Overall, the men were satisfied with their work, believing they had the knowledge and skill necessary to educate and empower their patients toward improved health. Consistent with other research, they talked about the heavy lifting aspect of nursing and believed that they were discouraged from working in obstetrical clinical settings. The men felt some fear and anxiety about performing intimate touch in routine nursing care situations. In their work experiences, the men discussed situations where they were exposed to gender and racial bias and had to respond to assumptions about their sexual preference. The concept of negotiated presence emerged from data analysis, as the men described many examples of negotiating their right to be present as nurses in clinical settings. The men found value in talking to male nurses who were older and more experienced as they often were able to provide practice tips. The meaning of their work was rooted in a deep respect and reverence for their patients and families. The call to be a nurse required hard work and a commitment to learning which enabled them to make a deep impact on the lives of their patients, their work environments, and communities.
Conclusion: The deep meaning of their work as described by the men in this study was shaped by the experiences that called them to nursing, by the education they received, and by their clinical work experiences. This study highlights that Registered Nurses are viewed as role models, which often results in professional recruitment. More targeted role modeling and open discussion about nursing as a profession with men and minorities may help increase workforce diversity. The educational setting set the initial tone for the remainder of the men’s nursing career. In educational and clinical settings, all students and RNs need to be reminded of shared responsibilities such as heavy lifting and rely on proper body mechanics and equipment for these tasks. Nursing educators must be aware that male students feel anxiety about intimate touch in care provision, may encounter racial and gender bias and deal with assumptions about their sexual preference. Nursing education must provide open discussions and talking points for all students about how to deal with and avoid biased and intrusive behavior. Furthermore, nursing educators must ensure that men engage in all aspects of clinical experience throughout their education.
Methods: This qualitative study utilized the participatory action research method of Photovoice. Ten participants were invited to take photographs that represented the experience and meaning of their work. Seven participants were nursing students with clinical experience and three were Registered Nurses. After the cameras were returned, the photographs were copied into a PowerPoint file. The men were invited to free write about the meaning of each photograph and engage in a semi-structured, photo-elicited interview. Thematic data analysis was conducted using the qualitative software program ATLAS.ti. After all data were collected and analyzed, the participants met as a group to discuss the project and choose which photographs would be included in a Photovoice presentation.
Results: The men described three stages in the journey to finding meaning in their work as nurses. The beginning stage of their career was strongly influenced by significant interactions within their families and with experiences with Registered Nurses that served as catalysts for seeking nursing education. They viewed nursing as a profession with many opportunities to make meaningful change in the lives of people and within their world. The men were intentional and very proud of their choice of nursing as a profession. The educational stage of their journey provided experiences that shaped their clinical practice and meaning development. A strong background in liberal arts, scientific and nursing education was the bedrock of their practice. They described pivotal experiences with nursing faculty and fellow students as shaping their understanding of their role within nursing. In the academic setting, the men learned to apply the scientific knowledge and altruistic values inherent in nursing. Clinical experiences were viewed as instrumental for NCLEX success; yet in clinical areas such as obstetrics the men sometimes were given alternative assignments in lieu of hands on experience. The men sometimes struggled to navigate what they felt were unwritten rules of working within a female dominated profession. In the work stage, the men discussed the importance of providing nursing care that was rooted in scientific and nursing knowledge. They acknowledged the importance of lifelong learning and the personal responsibility to seek opportunities to continue learning. They served as advocates for patients, their families, and colleagues. Overall, the men were satisfied with their work, believing they had the knowledge and skill necessary to educate and empower their patients toward improved health. Consistent with other research, they talked about the heavy lifting aspect of nursing and believed that they were discouraged from working in obstetrical clinical settings. The men felt some fear and anxiety about performing intimate touch in routine nursing care situations. In their work experiences, the men discussed situations where they were exposed to gender and racial bias and had to respond to assumptions about their sexual preference. The concept of negotiated presence emerged from data analysis, as the men described many examples of negotiating their right to be present as nurses in clinical settings. The men found value in talking to male nurses who were older and more experienced as they often were able to provide practice tips. The meaning of their work was rooted in a deep respect and reverence for their patients and families. The call to be a nurse required hard work and a commitment to learning which enabled them to make a deep impact on the lives of their patients, their work environments, and communities.
Conclusion: The deep meaning of their work as described by the men in this study was shaped by the experiences that called them to nursing, by the education they received, and by their clinical work experiences. This study highlights that Registered Nurses are viewed as role models, which often results in professional recruitment. More targeted role modeling and open discussion about nursing as a profession with men and minorities may help increase workforce diversity. The educational setting set the initial tone for the remainder of the men’s nursing career. In educational and clinical settings, all students and RNs need to be reminded of shared responsibilities such as heavy lifting and rely on proper body mechanics and equipment for these tasks. Nursing educators must be aware that male students feel anxiety about intimate touch in care provision, may encounter racial and gender bias and deal with assumptions about their sexual preference. Nursing education must provide open discussions and talking points for all students about how to deal with and avoid biased and intrusive behavior. Furthermore, nursing educators must ensure that men engage in all aspects of clinical experience throughout their education.