The Role Of Men In Nursing

Nursing is a major career field in many parts of the world. It is a field that is vital to the health and well-being of all people. While most studies focus on the patients and the quality of care that they receive, few seem to consider the toll that the nurses go through on a daily basis. Whether it be overtime, stress, discrimination, or short staff, nurses may have more on them than they should have to bear.
There has been a great deal of controversy over whether or not the nursing workforce is experiencing a shortage (Peterson). This means that there seems to be plenty of people trying to become a nurse but not necessarily enough people actually gaining the title of nurse. Because of this, there is no definite answer to whether or not the …show more content…
Some believe that male nurses are the answer because a males value of all things male and masculine, allow men to use strategic thinking to set them apart from their female coworkers and the feminine image of nursing. It is also believed that with such strategic thinking, a great deal of men would be able to obtain administrative and specialty positions. Even though men may be the answer to shortages, there are some barriers that keep men from entering nursing programs and making their way to the top. When men enter nursing they tend to limit their abilities and choice of specialty so that they are not labeled and stereotyped. Most studies show that “attitudes, gender role perceptions, intimate care issues, nurse shortage, retention and motivation influence the professional presence of men in nursing to a great extent.” These studies also revealed that men faced barriers such as sexual stereotypes, few recruiters, few male role models, and the overall female orientation of nursing (“Men in Nursing”). Due to the female orientation of nursing, there are very few opportunities for male nurses to work with other male nurses in certain clinical settings (Kouta and Kaite). Some of these barriers have caused Men to leave nursing during the initial four years after they …show more content…
These ideas are extremely important to workforces and nursing as well. Even though the effects that stress and burnout have on patients is very relevant the safety of patients and the quality of care provided is not defined well by the evidence (Jennings). If the relationship with staff, visitors, or patients, is frequent or intense then the nurse will be required to put forth more emotional effort (Trinkoff). When this happens, the nurse is more likely to experience symptoms associated with burnout. These symptoms often include disconnection with oneself and becoming emotionally exhausted