Assessment of Knowledge and Perception of Senior Secondary School Students Towards Nursing as a Career Choice for Men in Selected Local Government of Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

The number of men in nursing has remained low despite the many benefits and opportunities associated with the profession. Currently, males make up only 6.6% of the three million nursing professionals in the United States. The study assessed the knowledge and perception of secondary school students towards nursing as a career choice for men in selected Local Government of Lagos State, Nigeria. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that was carried out on 293 respondents. A multi staged sample technique was used to select study participants. Results revealed that majority of respondents (91.4%) knew nursing as a profession and 88.9% knew that a legal certificate was required to practice nursing, Respondents generally demonstrated a good knowledge of Nursing. There was also a general positive perception towards Nursing as a career (93%). Even thou there was a positive perception towards nursing as a career choice for men generally (53%), half (50.2%) of the students in this study disagreed that nursing was a career choice for female only. Thirty-seven (37%) percent of the students stated that nursing was not a masculine type of career for males to pursue. Also, 65.6% of respondents agreed that nursing was more appropriate for females because they are more caring. There is a need for secondary school students to be aware of what nursing as a profession entails and that gender is not a determining factor of being a better nurse.

Secondary school Student's perspectives about nursing career and their motivations to become future nurses in Singida municipal: A qualitative study

“…Other studies also found a similar pattern of findings. For example, a study done in Nigeria showed that male students were reluctant to accept nursing since it is not a masculine career but rather a feminine one, therefore suitable for females (Folami, 2018), similar to another study by Hoeve et al (2013).…”

“…Additional factors contributing to the shortage of nurses are the high number of retiring nurses from the workforce and the low influx to the profession due to negative public images and perceptions about nursing, a poor working environment and low deployment of nurses (Edet et al, 2015 ; Folami, 2018 ; Halter et al, 2017 ; McKenna et al, 2017 ). The shortage is more concentrated in low‐ and middle‐income countries where the human population is growing very fast, thereby making nurses barely keep up with the pace (Smiley et al, 2021 ; WHO, 2016 ; World Health Organization, 2020 ).…”

Perception towards Male Enrolment in Nursing among High School Students at Selected Schools of Bharatpur, Chitwan

“…14,[21][22][23][24] In addition, Bartfay (2016) found that nursing was more appropriate for females because of their caring and compassionate nature compared to males. 25 Evidences have been variable, with the reports of nursing as men's work 26,27 and students' viewed nursing as a masculine work despite of the contradiction to the stereotypical image of nursing in society. 28 Likewise, Keshk et al (2016) 29 and Varaei S, (2012) 30 gave a contradictory view with a belief that nursing is a career suitable for both the genders.…”

“…Present study revealed that more than half (52.3%) students had good perception towards male enrolment in nursing which is consistent with the finding of the study conducted in Nigeria which revealed that more than half (53%) senior secondary students held a positive perception towards nursing as a career choice for men. 26 Similarly, (Hasan, 2020) gave a contradictory view that stigma of nursing profession is suitable only for women and men are not favourable in considering nursing as their career choice. 14 On the other hand, present study resonates with the finding of study which reported no significant association between perception of male enrolment with various sociodemographic variables 26 whereas, inconsistent finding conducted in Nigeria revealed the significant association between male and female attitudes towards nursing as a career for men.…”