Ghimire Animesh, Qiu Yunjing
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
Nurse Educ Pract. 2025 Mar;84:104332. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2025.104332. Epub 2025 Mar 15.
This qualitative study explores the motivations and perceptions underlying the demonstrable preference for critical care careers among a cohort of male undergraduate nursing students.
Despite increasing numbers of men entering nursing, gendered expectations and stereotypes persist. Previous research has explored the experiences of male nurses in the workforce, highlighting the challenges they face in navigating a female-dominated profession. However, there remains a gap in understanding the origins of these gendered career aspirations during the formative undergraduate years.
A phenomenological approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews.
Final-year male undergraduate nursing students were recruited from a metropolitan Australian university. Thematic analysis was used to identify and interpret key themes related to their career aspirations.
Four overarching themes emerged: 1) Beyond the Bedside: The Allure of 'Masculine' Nursing, 2) Mirrors and Mentors: The Influence of Male Role Models in Critical Care, 3) Media Mythmaking: The Heroism of Critical Care and 4) Fast Track to the Top: Ambition and the Glass Escalator.
This study underscores the complex interplay of societal expectations, role modeling, media influence and perceived opportunities for career advancement in shaping the preferences of male nursing students towards critical care. The findings highlight the necessity of transcending simplistic definitions of "masculine" and "feminine" roles. Furthermore, responsible representation in the media is crucial for minimizing disillusionment. By deepening our understanding of these multifaceted motivations, nursing education programs and healthcare institutions can more effectively support male students, promote diversity across all specialties and cultivate a more inclusive and equitable nursing workforce.
本定性研究探讨了一群男性本科护理学生对重症护理职业表现出明显偏好背后的动机和认知。
尽管越来越多的男性进入护理行业，但性别期望和刻板印象依然存在。先前的研究探讨了在职男性护士的经历，强调了他们在一个以女性为主导的职业中所面临的挑战。然而，在本科形成阶段，对于这些性别化职业抱负的起源，仍存在理解上的差距。
采用现象学方法，运用半结构化访谈。
从澳大利亚一所大都市大学招募本科最后一年的男性护理学生。采用主题分析法来识别和解释与他们职业抱负相关的关键主题。
出现了四个总体主题：1）超越床边护理：“男性化”护理的吸引力，2）榜样与导师：重症护理中男性榜样的影响，3）媒体造神：重症护理的英雄主义，4）通往高层的快车道：抱负与玻璃电梯效应。
本研究强调了社会期望、榜样作用、媒体影响以及职业晋升机会感知在塑造男性护理学生对重症护理偏好方面的复杂相互作用。研究结果凸显了超越“男性化”和“女性化”角色简单定义的必要性。此外，媒体的负责任呈现对于减少幻想破灭至关重要。通过加深我们对这些多方面动机的理解，护理教育项目和医疗机构能够更有效地支持男性学生，促进所有专业的多样性，并培养一支更具包容性和公平性的护理队伍。
