Men in nursing: Re-evaluating masculinities, re-evaluating gender

Abstract

This paper critically interrogates and re-evaluates the notion that it is somehow difficult being a man in nursing and suggests some ways forward which will allow us to gain a more politically astute purchase on gender, nursing and the socio-political context in which the profession operates. Men appear to be well served by a career in nursing.Despite their lesser numbers they are likely to earn more and be promoted into leadership roles more readily. Yet there is a pervasive sense in the literature on men in nursing that they feel unhappy as a minority in a predominantly female occupation and feel a disjuncture between masculine identity and the nursing role. The genealogy of this idea can be traced to a more extensive literature in the 'men's movement', in sex role theory and masculinity studies which has tended to focus on the putative hurts that men suffer as they are socialized into the male role. This is itself informed by experiences and discourses from therapy, and privileges these kinds of experiences over and above more sober consideration of the respective powers of men and women and the sociopolitical context of the profession. This 'poor me' discourse deflects attention away from the business of tackling material inequalities and enables men to encroach further into the agenda of nursing discussions. Instead, a view of men and women in nursing is proposed which is attentive to the historical and political operations of power and which sees subjective experiences as the effects of power rather than as a starting point for analysis. We must place individual experience coherently and exhaustively in the material environment of social space and time. It is in this way that we can genuinely advance the interest of men and women and build an effective profile for the profession as a whole.

The male of the species: a profile of men in nursing

“…In terms of work settings, male nurses were more commonly working in Critical Care and Emergency Care (21·8%), Management (11·3%) and Mental Health (27·9%) (Table ). This supported Brown's () view that many men in nursing tended to progress in their careers more quickly than women or that more men transitioned into management and senior positions. Some other work areas (e.g.…”

“…Brown ( p.120) and Kleinman () examined the level of achievement by men in nursing and asserted that although men accounted for a small proportion of the nursing profession, they seemed to have a professional advantage resulting in a ‘glass escalator effect’ that enhanced men's position in nursing (McMurry p.23).…”

Reactions of staff members and lay people to family presence during resuscitation: the effect of visible bleeding, resuscitation outcome and gender

“…Perhaps, the similarly negative responses of both lay and staff men to bleeding during resuscitation was derived from masculinity norms. Brown (2009) says that the masculine notion of self‐mastery requires stoicism and control of the emotions. As visible bleeding could lead to emotional stress and so threaten male stoicism, perhaps this was why men responded negatively to being present themselves or allowing their family to be present when bleeding is involved.…”

Cardiovascular Health Promotion and Consumers with Mental Illness in Australia

“…The research around gender and nursing tends to focus on the significantly higher proportion of female nurses (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2011), the feminine image of nursing (Brown, 2009) and the perceptions of men in nursing (Loughrey, 2008). Differences in the way men and women may approach nursing work or execute their nursing roles has received considerably less attention.…”