Factors That Influence the Decisions of Men and Women Nurses to Leave Nursing

PROBLEM.  The health and long-term care systems in the United States rely heavily on the services of registered nurses, but concerns exist about the adequacy of the current and projected supply of registered nurses to meet the nation's needs. One way to increase the nursing supply is to increase the retention rates of nurses, especially men nurses who are much more likely to leave nursing than are women. The study hypothesizes that the different retention rates of men and women can be explained in part by their different gender roles and careers goals.
METHODS.  A secondary analysis was conducted of the registered nurses who left nursing for other occupations in the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, 2000.
FINDINGS.  Three reasons for leaving nursing were cited most often by the male and female nurses who left nursing: better salaries available in current type of position, hours more convenient in other position, and find current position more rewarding professionally. Results of a multivariate logistic regression analysis show that men were 2.5 times more likely than women to cite better salaries as a reason for leaving the nursing profession, but no more likely to cite more convenient hours or to state that the non-nursing position was more professionally more rewarding.
CONCLUSIONS.  Thus, the men differed from the women in their attitudes toward the financial aspects of nursing but not the professional aspects. Suggestions are provided to redress the dissatisfactions of men nurses.     

Men in nursing: making the right choice

Why do men choose nursing as an occupation? What are the perceived barriers for men working in a predominately female-oriented profession? To answer these questions, the authors conducted a study in 2005, using a self-report survey as the data collecting tool. The 250 male registered nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador were the target population. The most common reasons for entering nursing cited by the respondents (N = 62) were career opportunities, job security and salary. The most commonly perceived barriers were sexual stereotypes, lack of recruitment strategies, female-oriented profession and lack of exposure to male role models in the media. The respondents stressed that recruitment strategies should focus on the factors that are important to them: job security, career opportunities and salary. The findings from this research may help with future recruitment strategies designed to attract more men into the nursing profession.     

Advanced and specialist nursing practice: attitudes of nurses and physicians in Israel.

BACKGROUND: With the introduction of new and advanced nursing roles, the nursing profession is undergoing dynamic change. Realizing changes will be easier to accomplish if the nursing community and other healthcare professionals welcome the process. Recently the nursing staff mix in Israel has been undergoing a transformation: encouraging registered nurses to enhance their status by acquiring academic degrees and advanced professional training, and initiating the adoption of new nursing roles. OBJECTIVE: Our goal is to evaluate Israeli nurses' and physicians' attitudes to the introduction of new nursing roles and to expanding the scope of nursing practice. METHODS: Two hundred and fifteen nurses and 110 physicians from three large general hospitals and 15 community clinics filled in a questionnaire. FINDINGS: In general the majority of the nurses supported expansion of nursing practice, and such expansion did not cause significant opposition among physicians. However when the task affected patients' health, physicians were less willing to permit nurses to perform skills previously their responsibility alone. In addition, using multiple logistic regressions, support of the expansion of nursing practice was significantly higher among nurses in management or training positions, and among academically accredited nurses. Support for expanded roles was prominent among hospital physicians, graduates from Israeli schools of medicine, and less-tenured physicians. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that confirmation by various groups of physicians and nurses of standardized definitions of the new boundaries in the scope of nursing practice roles could successfully promote development of new roles and facilitate integration of the Israeli healthcare system into the global context of change. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Inter- and intra-professional collaboration, agreement, and understanding regarding advanced nursing practice roles and their introduction into the healthcare system might improve the relationship between healthcare professions and ultimately increase quality of care and patient satisfaction.     

Survival strategies of male nurses in rural areas of Japan

Aim: This study seeks to describe the survival strategies of male nurses in Japanese rural areas. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 12 male nurses who described their occupational experiences. The modified grounded theory approach was used for the data collection and analysis. Results: The survival strategies of these male nurses can be categorized into four types: (i) giving priority to the achievement of financial security; (ii) agreeing to a dependent relationship with doctors; (iii) maintaining one's male identity through supporting the female nurses; and (iv) making an appeal to the significance of men in the female‐dominated nursing profession. Conclusion: The survival strategies that were used by the male nurses were subtle, allowing them to influence indirectly both the female nurses and the doctors. These findings contribute to our understanding of the experiences of male nurses, a gendered minority in a female‐dominated workplace, and encourage gender equality in the nursing profession.     

Men nurses: a historical and feminist perspective

BACKGROUND: The history of nursing is almost exclusively a history of women's accomplishments despite the fact that, as early as the fourth and fifth centuries, men have worked as nurses. This perpetuates the notion of men nurses as anomalies. It also provides insight into the gendered nature of nursing and nurses' work within patriarchal culture. AIM: This paper examines the history of men in nursing in Canada, Britain and the United States of America, and offer insights into the ways in which gender relations and the ideological designation of nursing as women's work have excluded, limited and, conversely, advanced the careers of men nurses. METHOD: A search of the literature was carried out using CINAHL, PubMed and Sociological Abstracts databases. Search words included: male nurses, history, nursing, Canada, Britain, United Kingdom and USA. DISCUSSION: Men's participation in nursing reveals that prevailing definitions of masculinity have acted as a powerful barrier to men crossing the gender divide and entering the profession. At extraordinary times such as war and acute nursing shortages, gender boundaries are negotiable. For those men who have crossed over into nursing, a gendered division of labour is evidenced by men nurses' long-standing association with mental health nursing and, more recently, with their disproportionate attainment of masculine-congruent leadership and specialty positions. CONCLUSION: Failure to recognize men's participation in nursing leaves men nurses with little information about their professional background and historical position. It also maintains the invisibility of gender relations that have shaped the experience of men and women nurses alike. Such relations, understood within their broader social context, remain poorly understood and hence uninterrupted, to the detriment of nurses and the profession of nursing.     

The composition of the nursing profession in South Africa in the mid-seventies and its implications for provision of health care

An analysis of the composition of the nursing profession in South Africa reveals that the nurses were a heterogenous group with diverse dialects and cultures drawn from all social classes. Because of the unifying influence of the statutory control through the South African Nursing Council and the two official languages the nurses were organized into a strong and a stable profession. The predominant religion was Christianity, and the large majority of nurses were female, mainly young and married. The 116 189 member-strong profession was constituted by registered nurses, enrolled nurses, and nursing assistants. Although there was a variety of postbasic specialities for registered nurses there was still a good number of these nurses who were singly qualified, a certain portion who were doubly qualified and a minority who were triply qualified. A number of temporarily or permanently non-practising nurses constitute a reserve force to be relied on in a national emergency. This quantitative and qualitative state of the nursing profession had several implications for patient care. Some aspects reveal weak areas. The recommended remedial planning and re-organization arises from the obvious need and scope for improvement.     

Men in nursing: issues of gender segregation and hidden advantage

The small but growing number of men in the nursing profession does not herald a progressive integration of masculine and feminine sex roles. The evidence presented in this paper suggests that even in female-dominated occupations such as nursing, patriarchal gender relations which reflect a high valuation of all that is male and masculine, play a significant role in situating a disproportionate number of men in administrative and elite specialty positions. At the heart of this gender dynamic is the need to separate the masculine from the lesser valued feminine. Male nurses do this by employing strategies that allow them to distance themselves from female colleagues and the quintessential feminine image of nursing itself, as a prerequisite to elevating their own prestige and power. They are aided in this task by patriarchal cultural institutions that create and perpetuate male advantage, as well as by women nurses themselves who, consciously or unconsciously, nurture the careers of men colleagues.     

Male nurses and chemical dependency: masterminding the nursing environment

Florida men in nursing who are chemically dependent represent a greater percentage of the total number of male nurses than female nurses who are chemically dependent. This study identifies characteristics of 9 men who completed the Florida Intervention Project for Nurses. All participants were interviewed independently and data were analyzed to determine common themes in their behaviors and relationships and how they successfully manipulated professional nursing systems to remain professionally active for prolonged period of time while impaired. A model of caring for nurses with professional impairment graphically depicted the interaction of 2 overarching themes of person and profession. The person theme had 3 subthemes of predetermined risk, altered values, and sensation-seeking behaviors. The profession theme had 6 subthemes of masterminding, professional heteronomy, getting caught, rehabilitation, spirituality, and the nurse becoming the nursed. Findings imply that chemical dependency among male nurses starts in childhood in an abusive family environment and continues throughout the educational process and into the work environment. Findings supporting diversion success include a lack of awareness of the signs and symptoms of impairment by supervisors, poor compliance to drug control procedures, and a common acceptance by peers that impaired men are clinically competent and clinical leaders. When these 3 situations are present, there is greater success in masterminding daily events to maintain undetected drug access.     

Stressors and rewards experienced by men in nursing: A qualitative study

This study explored men's experiences in nursing. A qualitative research design was utilized to examine (a) the stressors experienced by male nurses, (b) the strategies male nurses use to cope with these stressors, (c) the factors that motivate men to pursue a career in nursing and (d) what motivates men to remain in the profession. Six participants were conveniently and purposively selected from a range of nursing positions including cardiac, intensive care unit, theater, and general nursing to participate in semi‐structured interviews detailing their experiences. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed that male nurses still experience gender role conflict, feelings of exclusion, and numerous other stressors working in a female‐dominated occupation. Despite these challenges, participants reported that they experienced a great sense of satisfaction in their nursing careers. Further development of educational programs aimed at challenging and breaking down the perceived social stigma regarding men entering the profession may assist in recruiting more men into nursing roles. At a broader policy level, the development of more effective strategies to prevent and manage stress may assist health care agencies to deliver more gender diverse care and retain more men in the profession.     

Religion's support for the domination of women--breaking the cycle

Throughout history, certain religious images and symbols often have been uncritically used to legitimate the dominance of men over women. This uncritical use has had lasting effects upon our culture, and these images and symbols often continue to be used as rationale for subordinating women today. Since the nursing profession has been, and continues to be, a predominantly female occupation, nurses are especially impacted by this inherited imagery. In their role as primary health care givers, nurse practitioners often care for women who have been victimized by a pattern of male domination that culturally is bound up in and perpetuated by certain religious imagery. This article describes and analyzes the power of religious sex-role imagery to maintain the public and professional order of female subordination to the male. Practical ideas are suggested for the nursing profession that will help to reconstruct this imagery along more equitable and humane lines. Through such efforts, nurses can justly achieve more reciprocity and equality for themselves, and can take active steps to prevent the victimization of many of the women they care for.     

Is there a relationship between personality type and preferred conflict‐handling styles? An exploratory study of registered nurses in southern Mississippi

Aim(s) The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between different personality factors of female registered nurses and their method of dealing with conflict. Background Conflict is both necessary and absolute and factors that influence development and resolution of conflict include personality traits. Methods Ninety‐seven female registered nurses working in three health care facilities in south Mississippi participated in this quantitative study. Instruments The instruments used were the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and the Thomas Kilmann Mode Instrument, which are forced choice questionnaires resulting in numerical data. Results There was not a statistically significant correlation between female registered nurses’ personality factors and methods of dealing with conflict. Conclusions The literature reveals that interpersonal conflict among nurses is a significant issue for the nursing profession. However, according to this study, there is no relationship between registered nurses’ personality factors and methods used to deal with conflict. Implications for nursing management The United States is faced with a serious nursing shortage, in part due to job dissatisfaction related to conflict in the workplace. Understanding conflict management styles can increase registered nurses’ positive conflict outcomes and lead to improved relationships, increased job satisfaction, and increased retention of registered nurses.     

常州同批男女护生对临床男护师带教接受程度的调查

目的了解新形势下同学历层次、同批男女护生对护理临床教学工作中由男性护师带教的接受程度并分析原因。方法通过自制调查问卷方式,对2015年至2017年两学年中来常州第二人民医院实习的27名男护生及168名女护生进行问卷调查。结果 96. 3%的男护生在可能的条件下更愿意选择男护师带教,超过选择女护师带教,差异有统计学意义(P<0. 01); 65. 5%的女护生也表示更愿意选择男护师带教,同样超过选择女护师带教人数,差异有统计学意义(P<0. 01)。男护生对于男护师担任带教老师的接受度平均得分9. 26分,女护生接受度平均得分8. 11分,差异无统计学意义(P>0. 05)。对男女护生选择男护师带教原因的调查发现:男护生最主要的是职业认同感(100. 0%,27/27),女护生最主要的是好奇心(78. 6%,132/168);而男女护生均认为男护师带教容易沟通交流(66. 7%,18/27和67. 2%,113/168)。结论临床护理带教以男护师更受学生欢迎,加大男护师参与护生临床带教具有一定的必要性。     

Gender difference in academic performance of nursing students in a Malaysian university college

WAN CHIK W.Z., SALAMONSON Y., EVERETT B., RAMJAN L.M., ATTWOOD N., WEAVER R., SAAD Z. & DAVIDSON P.M. (2012) Gender difference in academic performance of nursing students in a Malaysian university college. International Nursing Review 59 , 387–393 Purpose: To examine differences in academic performance between male and female nursing students, and to identify whether professional identity and language usage were explanatory factors of academic performance. Background: Although the numbers of men entering the nursing profession are increasing, societal stereotypes and the lack of male role models in nursing may have a negative impact on motivation, and hence, academic performance. Methods: A total of 147 students who were enrolled in an undergraduate nursing programme in Peninsula Malaysia were surveyed in January 2011. In addition to demographic and academic data, three instruments were administered to measure language acculturation and professional identity. Findings: The mean age of participants was 20.0 (SD: 1.5) years with 81% being female. Almost all students spoke the Malay language at home. Although there were no differences between male and female nursing students in relation to professional identity (P = 0.496), male nursing students reported a lower mean English language usage score (9.9 vs. 10.9, P = 0.011) and a higher mean Malay language usage score (20.4 vs. 18.8, P = 0.017). Males were also found to have lower academic performance than female students, as measured by grade point average (GPA) (2.7 vs. 3.2, P < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed gender was the only significant predictor of academic performance (β = ?0.44, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Males represent less than 10% of the nursing workforce in developed countries, with some developing countries experiencing even lower participation rates. Promoting academic support of male nursing students may assist in increasing the number of male registered nurses in the nursing workforce.     

Being a male nurse in Portugal during Salazar’s dictatorship (1940–70)

In several western countries, nursing was clearly seen as an occupation for women. With the creation of the first nursing schools, the gendering of the profession was accelerated. Male nurses’ contribution to the development of the profession was limited in comparison with women’s. However, the situation was slightly different in Portugal. This article aims at demonstrating a specific example of the gendering of the nursing profession, by simply copying the western model – considered the most developed – without questioning the consequences or even whether it was adapted to the country that had a different nursing tradition. Because the consequences of this gendering are still felt nowadays, this article opens a reflection on how complex it is to follow a foreign nursing model and on the issues associated with such a copy. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of several historical documents and interviews with several retired nurses contributed to an understanding of how men became nurses and how they worked in Portugal, despite gender discrimination, between 1940 and 1970. With different nursing training and job opportunities, Portuguese male nurses still managed to contribute, even beyond that of female nurses, to the improvement of the nursing profession.     

A historical study of men in nursing

This study outlines a brief history of men as nurses in the United Kingdom. It uses a variety of historical sources, primary archival, oral history and secondary sources to retell the history of nursing with emphasis on the frequently neglected place of men within it. History appears to indicate that men have had a place in nursing for as long as records are available, but their contribution has been perceived as negligible, largely because of the dominant influence that the 19th century female nursing movement has had on the occupation's historical ideology. The study indicates that men have an equally valid historical role within nursing, and that this should be acknowledged when considering male nurses' position within the nursing profession.     

A study of role stress, organizational commitment and intention to quit among male nurses in southern Taiwan

Gender and sex role stereotyping are recognized as having the potential to limit the professional development of males within the nursing profession. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between demographic data and the dimensions of role stress, organizational commitment, and intentions to quit among male nurses in southern Taiwan. Research also investigated the correlations with three dependent variables and identified best predictors of male nurse intentions to quit the nursing profession. A total of 91 male nurses volunteered to participate in this cross-sectional research. Research results were based on data collected from questionnaires sent by mail to participants. A total of 76 valid questionnaires were returned and used in analysis (response rate = 83.5%). Findings pointed to patients, colleagues and society as the major sources of role stress for male nurses. These sources of stress, and the resultant intention to quit on the part of male nurses, are due in significant part to the widespread stereotyping of the profession of nursing as a "woman's occupation". Such stress pressures male nurses to consider quitting to take jobs in other professional fields. Role stress is correlated to intention to quit among male nurses. Role stress and years of service are highly relevant predictors of male nurse intention to quit and leave the nursing profession, explaining 33.8% of variability. We suggest that at various levels of education and society, promotion of male and female equality should be increased. There is also a need for psychological consultation as well as the promotion of male nurse role models to prevent male nurses turning away from nursing careers.     

Under Assault: The Experience of Work-Related Anger in Female Registered Nurses

This article is Part I of a three part article. Part I describes work-related experiences of anger of female registered professional nurses (N = 9 ) who participated in phenomenological interviews. Participants ranged in age from 29 to 56 and had practiced nursing for a period of 7 to 34 years. Nurses described being "under assault" in a hostile environment. Military metaphors and similes permeated all the interviews. Subtheme of "under assault" included scapegoating, disrespectful treatment, and lack of support. Anger was a weapon used by the nurse to defend or advocate for patients or self, as well as to attack doctors, peers, patients, and self. Factors within the self such as control versus powerlessness influenced nurses' anger experience and expression. Infighting within the profession prevents mobilization of resources to confront the larger issues of healthcare reform. Nurses must reframe anger as a constructive means of empowerment, rather than a weapon to defend against assault. Part II addresses anger experiences of male registered nurses, and Part III provides recommendations for channeling anger constructively .     

男性护士教育培养现状与对策

南丁格尔创立现代护理以来,护理一直以女性为主导,男性在护理队伍中所占比例很小。人们的健康需求需要男性护士提供护理服务,所以,教育培养一定数量的男性护士势在必行。在培养男性护士的过程中面临生源少且专业思想不端正、心理状况较差、角色适应难度大等问题。提出解决对策:教育者和学习者应该认清护理发展史上男性护士曾经扮演的重要角色,从社会需求和人类健康需要的角度认识男性护士在健康服务中的必须性,认清男性护士在护理职业中的优势,加强对男性护士的宣传,并针对男性护生的学习特点和社会需求开展教育培养。