Navigating masculinity in nursing: Unpacking the 'critical care only' career aspirations of male undergraduate nursing students.

Ghimire, A; Qiu, Y

Navigating masculinity in nursing: Unpacking the 'critical care only' career aspirations of male undergraduate nursing students.

Ghimire, A Qiu, Y

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Nurse Educ Pract, 2025, 84, pp. 104332
Issue Date:: 2025-03

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Ghimire, A
dc.contributor.author	Qiu, Y
dc.date.accessioned	2025-09-16T05:44:13Z
dc.date.available	2025-03-09
dc.date.available	2025-09-16T05:44:13Z
dc.date.issued	2025-03
dc.identifier.citation	Nurse Educ Pract, 2025, 84, pp. 104332
dc.identifier.issn	1471-5953
dc.identifier.issn	1873-5223
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189914
dc.description.abstract	AIM: This qualitative study explores the motivations and perceptions underlying the demonstrable preference for critical care careers among a cohort of male undergraduate nursing students. BACKGROUND: Despite increasing numbers of men entering nursing, gendered expectations and stereotypes persist. Previous research has explored the experiences of male nurses in the workforce, highlighting the challenges they face in navigating a female-dominated profession. However, there remains a gap in understanding the origins of these gendered career aspirations during the formative undergraduate years. DESIGN: A phenomenological approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews. METHODS: Final-year male undergraduate nursing students were recruited from a metropolitan Australian university. Thematic analysis was used to identify and interpret key themes related to their career aspirations. RESULTS: Four overarching themes emerged: 1) Beyond the Bedside: The Allure of 'Masculine' Nursing, 2) Mirrors and Mentors: The Influence of Male Role Models in Critical Care, 3) Media Mythmaking: The Heroism of Critical Care and 4) Fast Track to the Top: Ambition and the Glass Escalator. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the complex interplay of societal expectations, role modeling, media influence and perceived opportunities for career advancement in shaping the preferences of male nursing students towards critical care. The findings highlight the necessity of transcending simplistic definitions of "masculine" and "feminine" roles. Furthermore, responsible representation in the media is crucial for minimizing disillusionment. By deepening our understanding of these multifaceted motivations, nursing education programs and healthcare institutions can more effectively support male students, promote diversity across all specialties and cultivate a more inclusive and equitable nursing workforce.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Nurse Educ Pract
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.nepr.2025.104332
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1110 Nursing, 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
dc.subject.classification	Nursing
dc.subject.classification	3901 Curriculum and pedagogy
dc.subject.classification	4204 Midwifery
dc.subject.classification	4205 Nursing
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Students, Nursing
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate
dc.subject.mesh	Masculinity
dc.subject.mesh	Career Choice
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Nurses, Male
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Career Choice
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate
dc.subject.mesh	Students, Nursing
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Nurses, Male
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Masculinity
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Students, Nursing
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate
dc.subject.mesh	Masculinity
dc.subject.mesh	Career Choice
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Nurses, Male
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.title	Navigating masculinity in nursing: Unpacking the 'critical care only' career aspirations of male undergraduate nursing students.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	84
utslib.location.activity	Scotland
utslib.for	1110 Nursing
utslib.for	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/School of Nursing and Midwifery
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/INSIGHT: Institute for Innovative Solutions for Wellbeing and Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-09-16T05:44:12Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	84

Abstract:

AIM: This qualitative study explores the motivations and perceptions underlying the demonstrable preference for critical care careers among a cohort of male undergraduate nursing students. BACKGROUND: Despite increasing numbers of men entering nursing, gendered expectations and stereotypes persist. Previous research has explored the experiences of male nurses in the workforce, highlighting the challenges they face in navigating a female-dominated profession. However, there remains a gap in understanding the origins of these gendered career aspirations during the formative undergraduate years. DESIGN: A phenomenological approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews. METHODS: Final-year male undergraduate nursing students were recruited from a metropolitan Australian university. Thematic analysis was used to identify and interpret key themes related to their career aspirations. RESULTS: Four overarching themes emerged: 1) Beyond the Bedside: The Allure of 'Masculine' Nursing, 2) Mirrors and Mentors: The Influence of Male Role Models in Critical Care, 3) Media Mythmaking: The Heroism of Critical Care and 4) Fast Track to the Top: Ambition and the Glass Escalator. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the complex interplay of societal expectations, role modeling, media influence and perceived opportunities for career advancement in shaping the preferences of male nursing students towards critical care. The findings highlight the necessity of transcending simplistic definitions of "masculine" and "feminine" roles. Furthermore, responsible representation in the media is crucial for minimizing disillusionment. By deepening our understanding of these multifaceted motivations, nursing education programs and healthcare institutions can more effectively support male students, promote diversity across all specialties and cultivate a more inclusive and equitable nursing workforce.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189914