The severity of andropause symptoms and its relationship with social well-being among retired male nurses: a preliminary cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Andropause is a syndrome that occurs due to decreased androgen levels in men. Various aspects of health, such as social well-being, can affect andropause status during men's retirement. This study aimed to determine the severity of andropause symptoms and its relationship with social well-being among retired male nurses. METHODS: This preliminary cross-sectional study was conducted on 284 retired male nurses in Ardabil (northwest of Iran). The participants were selected through the census sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic information form, the Male Andropause Symptoms Self-Assessment Questionnaire (MASSQ), and the Social Well-Being Scale (SWBS). Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22.0). RESULTS: The study found that the overall mean scores of the severity of andropause symptoms and social well-being among retired male nurses were 57.24 ± 12.62 (range = 35-91) and 94.54 ± 12.77 (range = 75-123), respectively. The highest and lowest mean scores between dimensions of social well-being were related to social contribution (20.26 ± 2.47) and social acceptance (15.26 ± 2.77), respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that subscales of social well-being, age, marital status, and spouse's menopause were predictors of the severity of andropause symptoms among retired male nurses. The selected predictors accounted for 53.1% of the total variance in severity of andropause symptoms (F = 36.613, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results showed a moderate to severe prevalence of andropause among retired male nurses and a significant association between andropause and social well-being. The study suggests further research to examine sexual orientation and other factors that may affect andropause in retired male nurses.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccination among male nurses.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of male nurses towards human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccination and to examine whether knowledge about the HPV vaccine affects attitudes and beliefs about HPV vaccines. BACKGROUND: HPV is responsible for ≈5% of all cancers worldwide. Therefore, vaccination against HPV is recommended to prevent HPV infections and HPV-related cancers in men and women. METHODS: The study group included 383 male nurses who were asked to complete online questionnaires. The data were collected using the following tools: a sociodeomographical characteristics form, the Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Scale (HPVKS), and The Carolina HPV Immunization Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (CHIAS). RESULTS: It was determined that the general HPV knowledge of the male nurses participating in the study was at a moderate level, but their knowledge of HPV screening test, HPV vaccination, and current HPV vaccination programmes were at a low level. Male nurses' HPV vaccination rates were relatively low, and most of them did not intend to be vaccinated. In addition, CHIAS Attitudes and Beliefs scores of the male nurses were at an average level and HPV knowledge affected the attitudes and beliefs of the nurses. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate an opportunity to improve information and awareness about HPV and vaccines by nursing education.

Qualitative systematic review: The lived experiences of males in the nursing profession on gender discrimination encounters.

AIMS: This review aims to synthesise the best available evidence exploring the lived experiences of males in the nursing profession on gender discrimination encounters. BACKGROUND: The underrepresentation of males within the nursing profession could potentially cause discrimination and stereotypes against them, causing barriers to entry into, and retention within, the profession. With a shortage in manpower, the deterrence of males to nursing might exacerbate the existing manpower shortage. This review consolidates and highlights the lived experiences of males in the profession. METHODS: The review was synthesised according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Employing the meta-synthesis approach, two independent reviewers conducted critical appraisal and data extraction of included studies, using the standard Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Instrument for Qualitative Research and a standardised data extraction form, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included. Extracted findings were aggregated into 14 categories and synthesised into three themes: stereotypes, discrimination and challenges faced by males. DISCUSSION: The synthesised findings showed that male nurses faced gender discrimination in multiple facets. These caused them to have difficulty in carrying out their nursing duties, missing out of clinical opportunities and causing them multiple social and mental stressors. CONCLUSION: This review informed the discriminatory experiences faced by males within the nursing profession. With males already underrepresented within this profession, it is imperative for interventions, policies and research to be made to address this issue to improve experiences of male nurses, thereby limiting the deterrence of males into the profession. IMPLICATIONS: Findings of this study showed that males are being stereotyped and discriminated, resulting in challenges faced solely because of their gender. Effective interventions and policies could be implemented to alleviate the negative experiences.

Factors influencing turnover intention among male nurses in China: A large-scale descriptive correlational study.

AIM: This study examined the correlation among turnover intention, emotional intelligence and job burnout in male nurses and determined its influencing factors. BACKGROUND: The number of male nurses has increased in China; however, the turnover rate is very high. Nurses' turnover intention is related to job burnout and emotional intelligence. INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have shown that job burnout and emotional intelligence are related to medical and health institution employees' intention to leave their jobs. It is not clear if the same conclusions can be drawn about male nurses. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, 627 male nurses were recruited from across China between May and July 2018. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, and Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were performed to analyse the data. RESULTS: There was a weak negative, moderate positive and moderate negative correlation between turnover intention and emotional intelligence, turnover intention and job burnout, and emotional intelligence and job burnout, respectively. Factors that significantly affected turnover intention among male nurses included job burnout, young age, lack of interest in nursing and working in the emergency department. CONCLUSION: The study revealed the factors that affected male nurses' turnover intention and the relationships between turnover intention, emotional intelligence and job burnout. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL POLICY: Hospital managers should provide necessary help and support to reduce male nurse turnover rates and incorporate emotional intelligence training. The policy should eliminate the unfair college admission practices for students choosing nursing majors, raise the nursing profession's salaries and vigorously develop specialty nursing. In addition, diversified values should be promoted, and stereotypes of male nurses in nursing should be broken.

Approaches of male nurses for degendering nursing and becoming visible: A metasynthesis.

INTRODUCTION: Patient, nurse and public discrimination against male nurses is well-documented. Male nurses encounter challenges in degendering nursing and becoming more visible nursing professionals. However, little is known about male nurses' decisions and strategies to address issues concerning gender-based discrimination and professional visibility. AIMS: To develop a comprehensive understanding of the approaches of male nurses to degender nursing and become more visible in the profession. METHODS: A metasynthesis using the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus databases. The search terms included 'lived experiences', 'male nurses', 'clinical practice', 'male educators' and 'male nurse managers'. In total, 16 qualitative studies published from January 2005 to November 2020 were critically appraised and synthesised. Two authors independently extracted data using summary tables. Data were synthesised using thematic synthesis which entails generation of codes and development of descriptive and analytical themes. RESULTS: Male nurses used intrapersonal, interpersonal and strategic adaptation to degender nursing and becoming visible as a nursing professional. These approaches entailed goal-directed behaviours, relationship-building strategies and positive and negative manipulation of resources. DISCUSSION: The approaches to degender nursing enabled men to prove their worth as competent nursing professionals, lessen the gendered stigmatisation and receive autonomy and respect. CONCLUSIONS: Degendering the gendered stigmatisation of nursing and becoming a visible nursing professional is essential for male nurses to promote diversity in the profession. Male nurses used both negative and positive approaches to gain recognition, respect and autonomy. They continued their struggles to promote the role of men as nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nursing institutions and regulatory bodies could use the findings to develop conducive environments to degender nursing and increase male nurses' visibility. Future male nurses could use the identified positive approaches and tailor them to meet their needs to become more visible and competent nursing professionals.

Potential for misinterpretation: An everyday problem male nurses encounter in inpatient rehabilitation.

AIMS: This study aims to report on the everyday concern of the 'potential for misinterpretation', which was the basic social problem revealed in a grounded theory study exploring male nurse practice in inpatient rehabilitation in Australia. BACKGROUND: Male nurses account for approximately 10% of nursing workforce across western countries and they practice in a range of clinical areas; however, how they practice in inpatient rehabilitation remains unexplored. METHODS: Constructivist grounded theory was used in this study and was conducted in two phases: (i) involved semi-structured interviews with 11 male nurses from October 2013 to June 2014 and (ii) observation of practice of 12 male nurses and semi-structured interviews with male nurses and 15 patients from February to April 2015. RESULTS: Nurse participants encountered the intersection of two pervasive patient ideologies about male nurses. Patients perceived nursing to be women's work and that male nurses are sexual threats. These two intersecting ideologies created a concern for male nurses working in inpatient rehabilitation and that concern was labelled 'potential for misinterpretation'. CONCLUSION: Gender stereotypes impacted on the ability of male nurses to practise nursing in inpatient rehabilitation. Male nurses were mindful on a daily basis that misinterpretation could, and did, happen in inpatient rehabilitation.

Factors influencing intention to stay of male nurses: A descriptive predictive study.

Nurse shortages and nurse attrition are high in many countries, and there is also a dearth of male nurses in the profession. This study aimed to examine the level of intention to stay and ten predictors of this among male nurses in China. A descriptive, predictive study was administered to 480 registered male nurses. Eight research instruments were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were employed to analyze the data. The overall intention to stay in the nursing profession as perceived by male nurses was at a moderate level. Binary logistic regression demonstrated that work group cohesion, transformational leadership, career growth, and job satisfaction were significant predictors, explaining 32.2% of the total variance for intention to stay. The findings of this study provide suggestions for nursing administrators and policymakers to develop appropriate strategies or interventions to increase the intention to stay for male nurses to stay in the profession, based on the four predictors.

Career identity and career success among Chinese male nurses: The mediating role of work engagement.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effect of career identity on career success among Chinese male nurses and to examine the mediating role of work engagement in this relationship. BACKGROUND: Recently, with the development of the nursing career, male nurses take up a higher share and play a more important role in the nursing team. With its own particularity and advantages, this group's stability closely relates to the future of the nursing team. Therefore, promoting the career success of the male nurses is essential to the nursing team development. METHODS: The data were collected in China. A sample of 557 male nurses completed measures of career identity, work engagement and career success scale. Structural equation model was adopted to verify the research hypotheses. RESULTS: Career identity was significantly and positively related to male nurses' work engagement and career success (p < .01). And work engagement partially mediated the association between career identity and career success. CONCLUSION: Career identity is critical to predicting and enhancing male nurses' career success. Work engagement plays an intervening mechanism explaining how career identity promotes career success among male nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nursing management should minimize the impact of the traditional concept, implement the gender equality and provide moderate care for male nurses to facilitate balanced development of gender by upgrading the management system. The administrators should carry out skill training based on male nurses' features and the need of the department. Given full play to their respective advantages, male nurses will make great progress in professional development and achieve greater career identity and work engagement. Meanwhile, the further exploration of better incentive mechanism also makes sense in improving career identity and work engagement by the reform of performance appraisal mechanism and salary adjustment according to their ability.

A comparative analysis of the substance use and mental health characteristics of nurses who complete suicide.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe the substance use and mental health characteristics of nurses who complete suicide compared to non-nurses. BACKGROUND: Nurses are at higher risk of suicide than the general population. The relationship between substance use, mental health and suicide in a large sample of nurses in the USA has not been previously described. DESIGN: Retrospective observational quantitative analysis. METHODS: Suicide data were retrospectively analysed in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Violent Death Reporting System from 2003 to 2017. Data were compared between nurses who died by suicide (n = 2,306) and non-nurses who died by suicide (n = 185,620) using odds ratios calculations and chi-square test of proportions to detect independent risk factors of suicide completion in nurses. This study followed the STROBE guidelines. RESULTS: Significant differences between nurses and non-nurses were found. Among decedents for whom substances were implicated as a cause of death, nurses were far more likely to be positive at the time of death for almost all substance classifications. Both male and female nurses were more likely than non-nurses to have a mental health problem reported. Among both female and male nurses, job problems were more prevalent compared to non-nurses (12.8% and 19.9% versus 7.2% and 11.9%, respectively). Female nurses were more likely to have a physical health problem compared to female non-nurses, male nurses and male non-nurses (26.2% versus 21.3%, 22% and 20.4%). CONCLUSION: Unique relationships between substance use and mental health exist among nurses who complete suicide which may offer specific opportunities for interventions to reduce suicide. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Efforts to address workplace stress, facilitate self-referral for risky substance use, encourage mental health treatment and reduce the stigma associated with seeking help all offer potential interventions to reduce nurse suicide.

Role expectations and workplace relations experienced by men in nursing: A qualitative study through an interpretive description lens.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of male nurses in today's healthcare environment to understand the persistently low numbers of men in nursing. DESIGN: This study used interpretive description methodology, which aligns with nursing's approach to knowledge discovery by acknowledging the evolution and complexity of shared and individual experiences. METHODS: Participants, (N = 11), were recruited through the American Association for Men in Nursing using purposive sampling. Focused interviews were conducted between May 2018 - June 2018. Interviews were semi-structured, guided by open-ended questions and video and audio recorded. Data were analysed according to study design with categories and themes extracted using reliability measures. RESULTS: This study's findings reflected the unique experiences of each participant in a primarily female dominated work environment in clinical and academic settings. Our study identified thematic categories of role expectations and workplace relations for the men in the study. Role expectations were influenced by sociocultural views, professional acceptance and patient/family perceptions. Workplace relations were associated with being male, social cliques and peer support. CONCLUSION: Participants shared similar and distinctly individual experiences. Findings from this study indicate there has been progress toward improving male presence in nursing but additional efforts are needed to increase inclusivity. Findings can be used to make recommendations for professional change in nursing, strengthen diversity by refining ways to recruit more men, enhance patients' experiences and improve experiences for future male nurses. IMPACT: This study addressed low numbers of men in nursing. Main findings included role expectations and workplace relations and how they are experienced by men in nursing. Findings from this research have a multidisciplinary impact in the workplace, and affect care of patients and their families.

The role of work resources between job demands and burnout in male nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the regulation role of work resources in male nurses' job burnout and job demands. BACKGROUND: Burnout syndrome affects a wide range of nurses. Although burnout and turnover rate have drawn many researchers' attention, little is known of work characteristics that may cause a high burnout and turnover rate in male nurses. DESIGN: A survey design was used. METHOD: A total of 366 male nurses in Guangzhou hospitals were included in this survey using the Burnout Scale (MBI-GS) and the Job demands Resources Scale. Data were processed by hierarchical regression analysis. (Followed the STROBE checklist) RESULTS: The male nurse's MBI score was (2.72 ± 1.02). Job demands affected the severity of male nurses' job burnout. Work resources are in a low level, especially at the social support, reward and skill diversity. The regression coefficients ß of job demands, work resources and interaction items of job demands and work resources were 0.277, 0.314 and -0.006, respectively, and both passed the significance test (p < .01).). The new explanatory quantity ΔR2 after introducing the interaction between job demands and working resources was also statistically significant (ΔR2  = 0.254, p < .01). CONCLUSION: Male nurses are at a mild level of job burnout, and work resources are in shortage. Work resources play a regulating role in job demands and burnout. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The mild burnout may be a surface phenomenon or was a sign of trend of male nurses' intention to leave the job. Managers should pay attention to the emotional needs and mental health problems of male nurses' work environment.

I do not even tell my partner: Nurses' perceptions of verbal and physical violence against nurses working in a regional hospital.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine nurses' perceptions of physical and verbal violence perpetrated by patients and visitors and to investigate themes surrounding gender and the incidence of violence. BACKGROUND: The prevalence of violence towards nurses is a concern for nurses and hospital administrators. However, nurses who work in acute care and mental healthcare settings are particularly at high risk. This study examines the occurrence, type of violence and gender issues in a regional public hospital of Queensland Australia. DESIGN: An exploratory, qualitative design. METHODS: Focus group interviews with 23 nurses from Emergency Department (ED), Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Psychiatry Department (PD) working in Queensland regional public hospital, Australia. Qualitative data were transcribed and thematically analysed manually and by NVivo. COREQ research reporting checklist followed. RESULTS: Participants reported frequent incidents of verbal and physical violence on a daily basis. Severe incidence included punching, kicking, biting and scratching, as well as threats of using weapons, such as knives. Patients were more likely to exhibit physical violence, especially towards male nurses, while hospital visitors including patient's family were more likely to exhibit verbal violence. Allocating male nurses in volatile areas and to care for violent patients raises concerns that the male nurses may be seen by their patients as "bodyguards" and not as a professional nurse. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that staff believe that violence is increasing, feel the burden to accept that violence as part of the job and that the bureaucratic processes of the organisation make it difficult to address violence or get support. Organisations need to be vigilant in ensuring assistance is accessible and simplified. RELEVANT TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study contributes new knowledge to the discussion concerning of gender issues. Identifying gender issues could assist in developing the necessary interventions to reduce workplace violence.

Exploring the lived experience of Jordanian male nurses: A phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: Human beings have an inbuilt desire to care and nurture others. In some professions such as nursing, women are perceived as privileged in relation to these traits, and women are in the majority in the nursing profession. The Gender theory suggests that men should adapt to feminine traits and nature in order to fit in the nursing profession. However, there is a paucity of literature in relation to Arab male nurses' experience in nursing. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the Jordanian male nurses' experiences of their career within their Arabic community. METHODS: A hermeneutic phenomenological approach, underpinned by VanManen's perspective was used. Twenty-two Jordanian male nurses were approached from four hospitals in Jordan. Four focus groups comprising 5-6 interviewees in each were used. The focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using Van Manen's hermeneutic approach and themes extracted from the Arabic version were compared critically with the analysis of the English version to develop the meaning of the narratives. DISCUSSION: Three major themes emerged from the data: (i) personal gains; (ii) masculinity; (iii) and cultural influences. Whilst male nurses recognized nursing is a female dominant profession, they viewed themselves as more independent in decision making and more productive than their female counterparts. Significantly, the participants described nursing as a means of fulfilling their spiritual needs and thus a personal gain. The interviewees linked their masculinity to resilience and endurance. Participants described that men in nursing face some social constraints within the Arab community. CONCLUSION: The study findings partly supported the fact that nursing in Jordan is a predominantly female profession which lends support to the gender theory in which Jordanian male nurses experienced a social bias and disadvantages by Arabic culture stereotypes of a male nurse. Although nursing is still a feminine career, the findings of this study raise awareness that gender role stereotype might not hold a strong stance in relation to nursing and that could be attributed to elements such as economic and payment status.

A historical look at men's involvement in nursing and leadership in GAPNA.

The role of men in nursing is not always evident. Men have been care takers in early societies, military health care, and the religious sector. The perception of men in nursing, however, took a shift from one of honor to one of deviance and failure from medical school. As the contributions of historical men in nursing, such as Walt Whitman, are brought to light, so are the contributions of select men within the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). Dr. George Peraza-Smith provides an exclusive interview, shares his dedication and contributions to the care of the aging adult, and provides words of wisdom to those wanting to impact the care of geriatric nursing.

Male nursing students' perception of dignity in neonatal intensive care units.

INTRODUCTION: Maintaining dignity is one of the most important human rights. However, maintaining and promoting the dignity of nursing students as an important caregiver group has scarcely been considered. Dignity can be viewed as an abstract concept particularly in relation to the perspective of male nursing student perspective. Therefore, more investigation is required to explore the male students' understanding of the concept of dignity. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to define and explain the concept of dignity among male nursing students in the neonatal intensive care unit. RESEARCH DESIGN: This is a qualitative content analysis study. The data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews. The data were analyzed by conventional content analysis method. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT: Twenty male nursing students in public health centers in Iran were selected by targeted sampling to achieve data saturation between February 2017 and November 2017. FINDINGS: The findings of this study were presented in three main themes, including "extensive support," "belief in ability," and "participation in decision making," and 7 sub-categories of data were extracted. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The study's protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and the ethical principles were followed throughout the study. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: According to the findings of the study, male nursing students required extensive support, and their academic and practical skills required to be respected; in addition, they should be involved in decision making, because in such an environment, the dignity of these students will be maintained and promoted. Therefore, it is suggested that a cultural, professional, and institutional background in which all components of the male nursing student's dignity are protected and emphasized should be provided.

British South Asian male nurses' views on the barriers and enablers to entering and progressing in nursing careers.

AIM: To ascertain British South Asian male nurses' views on the barriers and enablers to entering and progressing in nursing education and careers. BACKGROUND: There is a shortage of men from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups in the National Health Service nursing workforce. There is a dearth of evidence on the views of British south Asian men on this subject. METHODS: A qualitative interpretative intersectional approach was used to carry out one-to-one interviews (n = 5) with British South Asian male nurses using a semi-structured topic guide. Interviews took place between July 2018 and February 2019, across England. A framework analysis approach was used to analyse the interview transcripts. RESULTS: The main themes emerging as barriers were as follows: poor pay and conditions; negative immediate, extended family, community views; and a lack of knowledge and awareness of the nursing profession. The main themes emerging as enablers were as follows: personal circumstances (including role models) and ethnicity (including the role of religion and masculinity). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the intersection between ethnicity and gender presents as an important enabler, as well as inhibitor, for British South Asian men. Nursing careers and salient barriers exist at a systemic level and include institutional racism. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Managers review policies and practice on unconscious bias and institutional racism in the recruitment, retention and progression of British South Asian men. Employers provide continuous professional development including mentoring support to help career progression for these men. Human resources colleagues develop culturally specific interventions to reduce the stigma associated with the nursing profession in the British South Asian community. Nurse recruitment colleagues consider places of worship as venues for delivery of these interventions when promoting nursing.

The working experiences of male nurses in China: Implications for male nurse recruitment and retention.

AIMS: To understand the working experiences and career trajectories of male nurses in China. BACKGROUND: Compared with developed countries, men were far more under-represented in the nursing profession in China. Little is known about the working experiences of Chinese male nurses and the contextual factors that contribute to their low participation rate in the nursing profession. METHODS: In-depth interviews with twenty-five male nurses and two hospital administrators were conducted. All interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Chinese male nurses had better career prospects and promotion chances compared with female nurses. The extremely low participation rate of men in nursing was related to the prejudice among the general public as well as the low professional status and salary. Two unique contextual factors influenced the career trajectories of male nurses in China: (1) the major assignment mechanism in the college entrance examination and (2) the implementation of the two-child policy. CONCLUSION: Although Chinese male nurses enjoyed many advantages compared with female nurses, they also encountered many difficulties related to working in a female-dominated profession. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Appropriate measures should be taken to shift public attitudes towards male nurses, improve the professionalization of nursing and promote gender diversity and equity.

The challenges of male nurses in the care of female patients in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Nurses professional duty mean that nurses must care for patients without gender discrimination. Meanwhile, the intrinsic differences between men and women and the need for personal contact with the patients during care procedures can create challenges for male nurses in the process of caring for a female patient. AIMS: The present study aims to understand the challenges of male nurses in the care of female patients in Iran. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted with 20 male nurses selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected through unstructured and semi-structured interviews as well as observations and were analysed using conventional content analysis, based on the Graneheim and Lundman model. FINDINGS: The findings revealed two main themes, including 'religious-cultural restrictions' and 'inappropriate organizational context'. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Male nurses are faced with a combination of religious-cultural and organizational challenges in providing patient care without discrimination in clinical settings. In addition to negatively affecting the quality of nursing care and satisfaction for female patients, these problems also create a stressful work environment for male nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH PRACTICE AND POLICY: These problems can be alleviated in clinical settings by trying to ensure same-gender nurses and patients, especially when performing personal care. In addition to the efforts made by nurses to present a positive and real image of themselves in caring for female patients, health policy-makers should also attempt to improve society's attitude towards male nurses caring for female patients through the media.

Role and skills of the oncology nurse: an observational study.

PURPOSE: The importance of nursing competence arises from its central role in influencing and determining care outcomes. The employment of adequately educated staff, able to base clinical decisions on the best scientific evidence, is one of the components required for delivering high quality nursing care in the oncological field. The aim of this study is to analyze - through the Nurse Competence Scale - the level of competence of nurses working in oncological settings. METHOD: A descriptive study was performed between March and September 2017. The participants were recruited among the nursing staff working in the Day Hospital and the Units of the IRCCS -Regina Elena National Cancer Institute in Rome. The confidentiality and the anonymity of the subjects involved in the study were guaranteed by submitting a socio-cultural data sheet -specifically designed to collect demographic and education data - and the Nurse Competence Scale. RESULTS: The sample included 65 nurses (93%) and 5 head nurses (7%), with a mean age of 41.8 years, predominantly female (80%), who had been working in oncology units for a mean of 17.2 years. The Nurse Competence Scale showed a high level of competence in all dimensions. Moreover, the Chi-Square test allowed to identify the presence of significant associations between the different dimensions of the Nurse Competence Scale and the work experience >15 years and the age > 40 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that, even if lacking specific oncology competence, nurses working in oncology care settings have developed a good level of clinical competences. Highlighting the importance of nursing care in the oncology area will increase the demand of both patients and organizations of high quality nursing care, consequently enhancing the nursing profession.

The Occupational Health Nurse and his/here role in the prevention of work-related diseases: results of an observational study.

BACKGROUND: In Italy, health in the workplace is still considered a field for physicians only. In contrast to Europe, the figure of the occupational health nurse is not yet present, due to the absences of contractual and university fields. The present study aimed to carry out a survey for understanding the usefulness of the introduction of the occupational health nurse in the field of prevention and protection of health at work. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The questionnaire was administered via an online survey to health professionals including Students (undergraduate and post-graduate levels) of Nursing Sciences and Midwives, Nurses, Physicians specialized in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, in Occupational Medicine and Legal Medicine. The questionnaire included 26 questions. The statistical analysis, conducted with SPSS software (release 25.0), has been articulated through the use of frequency tables and contingency tables. Differences in participants' responses were analyzed with the chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, where applicable, considering gender, marital status, presence of sons in families, age, macro-region, and professional activities as potential explanatory variables. RESULTS: After two general reminders, 232 individuals entered the survey, with an overall response rate of 65%. 42.2% of the participants were nurses, aged between 20 and 64 years. Around 70% were females. A low percentage (9.9%) is associated with respondents from northern Italy 53.0% from Center and 37.1% from southern Italy. The questionnaire included four major fields of occupational health nursing. The nursing role for companies (items 8, 12, 13, 14, and 17): the responders approve the introduction of the occupational health nurse in the companies for his/her competences on health promotion and work-related diseases prevention. Utility for companies (items 18, 19, 20 and 21): the usefulness brought by the occupational health nurse to companies is fully shared by the responders. Occupational Health Nurse's action field (items 16, 22, 23 and 24): the answer "yes" has the highest prevalence among the responders, followed by "I don't know". Education (items 25 and 26): Nurses, Physicians and Nursing Students think that the occupational health nurse must have an appropriate university training program, in particular, a master's first degree. Concerning the main focus of the study (opinion on which was the most suitable course of study for the occupational health nurse), 85 (36,6 %) participants answered, "First level Master degree", and 60 (25,9 %) "Advanced training course". CONCLUSIONS: This study wanted to highlight the opinion of professionals on the usefulness of this new nursing figure, projected into the world of occupational medicine. The OHN supports the Physician with his/her professionalism and autonomy in prevention and treatment of work-related diseases, as demonstrated and valued in the rest of Europe. The implementation of advanced courses on occupational nursing, and in particular specific post-graduate degrees, is needed.