Article
Would you recommend nursing as a career to men?
Working Papers in the Health Sciences
(2016)
Abstract
Objective : The principle objective of this study was to establish a profile and perception of men in nursing in Western
Australia. This paper will discuss one sub-objective which sort to explore responses to the question: “Would you recommend
a nursing as a career to males that you know?”
Design: Main study was a quantitative, descriptive survey design, however the question under review was significantly
qualitative in nature and analysed as such.
Setting : The study took place across Western Australian public and private sector health care facilities, nurse education
institutions and non- government providers across rural, remote and metropolitan locations.
Main outcome measures: Data was collected through responses to one question (within a larger survey) that related to
recommending nursing as a career to males. An online survey instrument was used.
Results: 70.5 %( n= 377) said they would recommend nursing to males. Of the respondents that selected “yes” 19.6% were
male and 80.4 % were female. Of the 29.5 %( n= 158) respondents that selected “no” 24.7% were male and 75.3% female.
Qualitative data reported supports the perceptions in the current workforce.
Conclusion : Whilst the majority of respondents in the study would recommend a career in nursing to men, a quarter
of respondents felt that a career in nursing was not suited to men. Reasons identified included; poor pay, a difficult job,
men’s values were incompatible with care, or that they were using nursing as a spring board to other careers. Identifying
the perceptions of men in nursing and if current nurses would promote nursing to males they knew assists in the potential
recruitment of a much needed future workforce.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2016
Citation Information
Beament, T., Falconer, D., Saunders, R., et al. (2016). Would you recommend nursing as a career to men? Working Papers in the Health Sciences, 1(14), 1-6.