Sex differences in gender characteristics of Australian nurses and male engineers: a comparative cross-sectional survey.

There continue to be assumptions within the nursing literature that nursing is synonymous with a feminine sex role identity. A comparative cross-sectional survey consisting of the Bem Sex Role Inventory and the Australian sex role scale was used to determine sex difference in gender characteristics of Australian nurses and with male engineers. A statistically significant difference in femininity was found between all the samples (F((2,908)) = 20.24, p < 0.00001; F((2,908)) = 60.13, p < 0.00001). A statistical difference in masculinity was found between female nurses and the two male samples on the two masculine scales (F((2,908)) = 12.48, p < 0.000001; F((2,908)) = 6.94, p = 0.001). Path analysis found strong significant direct relationships between the samples and expressive orientation (t = 27.67) and self display (t = 12.42). Whilst differences in expressive characteristics were found between male and female nurses, a similar difference was found between male nurses and male engineers, supporting the notion that male nurses perceive themselves as having feminine characteristics essentially required for nursing.

A Mixed Methods Review of Male Nursing Students' Challenges during Nursing Education and Strategies to Tackle these Challenges.

BACKGROUND: Calls to action have been placed for recruitment of more men to address nursing shortage and to achieve a better balance and diversity in workforce. Studies also indicated patients' demand for male nurses. Despite this, male nursing students experience challenges during their education resulting in their attrition. No reviews have explored this research area. This review explored the challenges of male nursing students during their education and identified strategies used to tackle these challenges. METHODS: Literature was searched within three databases using indexed search phrases and 1 mixed-methods, six quantitative, and 36 qualitative studies (n = 43), published from December 1990 to May 2018, were reviewed. The qualitative and quantitative data were separately extracted and analyzed using thematic synthesis and narrative summaries, and then compared using joint displays. FINDINGS: "Call me a nurse" and "Male nurses understand us better: Need more men in nursing" were the prominent themes. An array of educational and clinical challenges was identified. Students used appraisal-focused, problem-focused, and social support strategies to tackle these challenges. CONCLUSION: Considering the identified challenges, the lack of support and efforts from educators and institutions, we reiterate calls to action for strategic policies to help male nursing students adapt to educational and clinical learning environments and to increase their recruitment and retention in nursing.

The role of universities in attracting male students on to pre-registration nursing programmes: An electronic survey of UK higher education institutions.

The UK nursing workforce is facing a crisis. More nurses are leaving than entering the profession, and there are tens of thousands of unfilled vacancies. Political factors are having a significant impact on numbers, in particular the decision to withdraw bursaries for nursing undergraduates, and a steep decline in EU nurses registering to work in the UK post-Brexit. Against this backdrop, there is a stark gender imbalance in the workforce, with only around 11% of registered nurses being male. We surveyed UK higher education institutions to try to identify whether the gendered nature of nursing was considered a concern and whether steps were being taken to address it. We sent an electronic survey to every UK university offering undergraduate nurse training validated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). With a response rate of 42%, the majority of respondents felt that nursing departments should take much more responsibility to increase the proportion of male nurses entering the nursing profession. More needs to be done to diversify the workforce and make nursing an appealing career choice for men and women.

Male Nurses in Israel: Barriers, Motivation, and How They Are Perceived by Nursing Students.

The current worldwide nursing shortage remains a challenge for the nursing profession. Encouraging men to become nurses and, thereby, increasing the number of practitioners are crucial factors in facing this challenge. The historiography of nursing presents nursing as "women's work," based on the assumption that it is inherently appropriate for women only. Although men were employed as nurses even before nursing was recognized as a profession, male nurses were always a minority in the field. Over the years, the proportion of male nurses has increased, but they still comprise only 5 to 10% of the nursing workforce in the western world. This study examined men's motives for a career choice of nursing, how male nurses are perceived, and the barriers that they face. The study was conducted among 336 nursing students studying in a co-educational program in various academic tracks at a public, nonsectarian university in the south of Israel. Participants completed the following questionnaires in one study session: sociodemographic questionnaire; Attitudes Towards Men in Nursing Scale; motives for career choice questionnaire; and the questionnaire of the perceptions of the professional status of nursing. Study findings revealed that men tended to choose nursing because of financial constraints significantly more frequently than women (P=.001). Among the participants, there was no significant between-sex difference in the perception nursing as women's work (P=.002) or in perception of male nurses as homosexuals. Results of the study showed that the status of the nursing profession is considered low, and the low status deters men from choosing nursing as a career. The motivation for men's career choice must be understood, and men must be empowered to improve their work conditions and financial remuneration in order to recruit men to the field and to improve the perception of the profession and its public status.

Staff gender ratio and aggression in a forensic psychiatric hospital.

Gender balance in acute psychiatric inpatient units remains a contentious issue. In terms of maintaining staff and patient safety, 'balance' is often considered by ensuring there are 'sufficient' male nurses present on each shift. In an ongoing programme of research into aggression, the authors investigated reported incidents of patient aggression and examined the gender ratio on each shift over a 6-month period. Contrary to the popular notion that a particular gender ratio might have some relationship with the likelihood of aggressive incidents, there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of male staff working on the shifts when there was an aggressive incident compared with the shifts when there was no aggressive incident. Further, when an incident did occur, the severity of the incident bore no relationship with the proportion of male staff working on the shift. Nor did the gender of the shift leader have an impact on the decision to seclude the patient or the likelihood of completing an incident form following an aggressive incident. Staff confidence in managing aggression may be influenced by the presence of male staff. Further, aspects of prevention and management may be influenced by staff gender. However, results suggest there is no evidence that the frequency or severity of aggression is influenced by staff gender ratio.

Men at work.

To address rising healthcare demands, nurse managers must identify strategies to recruit and retain greater numbers of men in nursing.

The experience of males entering Nursing: a phenomenological analysis of professionally enhancing factors and barriers.

Males in nursing undoubtedly represent a minority group. However there have been relatively few studies which have investigated their unique experiences, compared with women in male dominated professions. This study conducted in an undergraduate nursing program, analysed the experience of males in nursing regarding (1) decision to enter the profession, during the course, both academic and clinical and (2) methods appropriate for recruiting more males to the profession. In general the results indicate overall positive acceptance of males in nursing, but several factors explored, indicate that change is essential if males are to remain and flourish in the profession.

Study: who are the men in nursing?

Many of the closing comments that respondents shared revisited areas of concern and optimism about the nursing profession and men's place within it. Emphasis was placed on the need to recruit more men and minorities into the profession, confront stereotypes, and improve the general awareness and knowledge of what the profession has to offer to all its members. Just as in the student survey, we were struck by how articulate and passionate respondents were about nursing. Countless respondents indicated that nursing was a 'calling'; that they especially enjoyed 'making a difference' and how unique nursing is for that reason. We also appreciated the humor and self-confidenc they demonstrated about the reality of being a minority in the profession, and their 'just do it' mindset.

The shortage of registered nurses and some new estimates of the effects of wages on registered nurses labor supply: a look at the past and a preview of the 21st century.

The US and many other countries are in the midst of a severe shortage of registered nurses (RNs). Labor supply models for currently trained RNs are estimated by gender and marital status using the 1992, 1996, and 2000 data from the National Sample Surveys of Registered Nurses. This analysis extends earlier work by Link (Res. Labor Econ. 13 (1992) 287) which provided labor supply estimates for 1960, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1984, and 1988. Since the methodology and variables employed in the present study are the same as those used by Link, the empirical literature on RN labor supply is brought together for the last 40 years. Moreover, comparisons are made with other studies in the literature of the labor supply of nurses and females in the general population. Results for the key variables are consistent over the different data sets and consistent with earlier work by Link. The RN's own wage had minor effects on both labor force participation and hours worked given participation. The RN wage is still an important variable since it has a significant and positive effect on the number of people who enter first-degree nursing programs in the US. These results are important to policy-makers in light of the current shortage of RNs.

Recruitment, retention and return--some quantitative issues.

Recruitment, retention and return are the main sources of nurses for the NHS, which it has been argued need to be increased to combat the anticipated nurse supply problem. This paper discusses some of the quantitative issues associated with the problem and its possible solutions. Example analyses of available data suggest that the key question should be one of choosing a good solution rather than simply accepting any solution. Coordinated analyses of further data as it becomes available are also recommended.

Retaining men in nursing program designed for women.

Men continue to represent a small percentage of the nursing workforce. Along with concerns regarding the nursing shortage are concerns that nursing should reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender characteristics of the population it serves. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness of the challenges male nursing students face and offer strategies to retain these students in educational programs traditionally designed for women.

Recruiting and retaining men in nursing: a review of the literature.

A review of literature published primarily since 1980 was conducted to identify (1) historical events that have influenced the sex imbalance in the nursing workforce, (2) the existence and types of barriers affecting the recruitment of male nurses, and (3) feasible strategies that might form the basis of intervention studies in the future. Nursing continues to be undervalued as an end-point career by some, and most potential candidates lack exposure to male nurses and nursing in general. Family resistance and salary remain concerns, but they may be as important a deterrent for some women as for men. Significant barriers to men exist in nursing education and practice, and the language and history of nursing have sexualized nursing practice itself by labeling it as women's work. The latter pattern has influenced legal decisions affecting the clinical practice of male nurses and has contributed to perhaps the most significant barrier to the recruitment of male candidates: the job title and its associated images. Proactive recruitment from selected target groups, the use of role models, and the exploitation of appropriate media sources are but three feasible strategies identified from the literature review that might be considered if nurses really would value changing the sex imbalance in the nursing workforce.

Real men choose nursing. Nursing schools and hospitals target men in their recruitment efforts.

In an effort to expand the nursing workforce, nursing organizations, schools and hospital recruiters are targeting men, who now comprise only 5.4 percent of the current workforce.