Professional Identity of Male Nursing Students in 3-Year Colleges and Junior Male Nurses in China

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the changing tendency and influencing factors of the professional identity of male nursing students in 3-year colleges and junior male nurses in China. Background: In China, the majority of nurses are 3-year nursing college graduates, among which male nurses are underrepresented. Many male nurses leave the profession 3 or 4 years after graduation. Little is known about the professional identity of Chinese male nursing students in 3-year colleges and junior male nurses. Methods: This study included 237 male nursing students from a 3-year college and 33 junior male nurses with less than 3 years of experience in China. By using the data collected with the Professional Identity Questionnaire of Nursing Students and through in-depth semistructured interviews from November 2019 to April 2020, t-test, and ANOVA analysis in SPSS22.0 were conducted and thematic analysis was applied to interviews. Results: Compared with undergraduate nursing students, Chinese male nursing students in 3-year colleges had a better professional identity, displaying a declining tendency with grades. Junior male nurses reported the lowest professional identity. Demographic factors such as family residence and presence of relatives in medical service were positively related to professional identity. Low professional identity was related to heavy workload as well as gender stereotypes. Two unique contextual factors influenced the professional identity: (a) curriculum setting and (b) nurse exams. Conclusion: College education and initial working experience were critical to professional identity formation for male nurses. Appropriate measures need to be taken to improve professional identity and promote gender diversity.

Nursing students’ professional identity development: An integrative review

“…Three studies were from Australia, [31][32][33] three from the United States, [34][35][36] one from Spain, 11 and two from the United Kingdom, with researchers from Australia. 8,19 There were also three studies from Iran, 18,37,38 two from Turkey, 39,40 and one each from Finland and Norway, 41 Japan, 42 Israel, 7 China, 43 and Canada. 44 Different data collection methods were used in these studies.…”

“…7,33,35,39,42 The exception used both a questionnaire and in-depth, semi-structured interviews. 43 Study overviews are listed in Table 2.…”

“…This issue is related to how academic teachers prepare students for clinical practice and cooperation. A study from China 43 also focused on this matter. The respondents showed a lower level of professional identity after completing their nursing studies.…”

The Work Experience of Newly Recruited Male Nurses during COVID-19: A Qualitative Study

“…Although we found a further increase in the professional identity and responsibility of newly hired male nurses to participate in the COVID-19 outbreak, there were still many who were not involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients and might require more professional guidance and care. Men were relatively underrepresented at different levels of employment in most countries, and male nurses were in a minority category [42]. Male nurses with less than 4 years of work experience have a higher turnover rate [43], which is not conducive to maintaining the diversity of the nursing team.…”

The Mediating Effects of Nursing Professional Commitment on the Relationship between Social Support, Resilience, and Intention to Stay among Newly Graduated Male Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey

“…In the foreseeable future, a high number of male nurses are expected to be engaged in nursing work in Taiwan. This will increase the diversity of nursing workplaces and alleviate the imbalanced male-to-female ratio in nursing workplaces [ 8 ].…”