Male Students in Women's Health: Perceptions of the Clinical Experience J. Creina Twomey, PhD©, RN & Robert J. Meadus, PhD, RN Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Male Students Male Students in Women's Health: in Women's Health:

Perceptions of Perceptions of the Clinical Experiencethe Clinical Experience

J. Creina Twomey, PhD©, RN &J. Creina Twomey, PhD©, RN &Robert J. Meadus, PhD, RNRobert J. Meadus, PhD, RN

Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of NewfoundlandSchool of NursingSchool of Nursing

St. John’s, NL, CanadaSt. John’s, NL, Canada

OutlineOutline BackgroundBackground Purpose Purpose MethodologyMethodology FindingsFindings CommentsComments Strategies for Teaching Men Strategies for Teaching Men

StudentsStudents Implications Implications

BackgroundBackground

Men remain a minority within Nsg. Men remain a minority within Nsg. 5.6% of nurses in Canada are men 5.6% of nurses in Canada are men (CNA, (CNA,

2006).2006).

The goal is to produce a Nsg workforce The goal is to produce a Nsg workforce that reflects the diversity of the that reflects the diversity of the population.population.

Possible solution to the Nsg shortage. Possible solution to the Nsg shortage. Men are an untapped resource. Men are an untapped resource.

PurposePurpose To examine the Nsg To examine the Nsg

education experience education experience of men. of men.

To gain knowledge of To gain knowledge of the reasons why men the reasons why men choose Nsg as a choose Nsg as a career.career.

To examine the To examine the challenges men challenges men encounter in Nsg encounter in Nsg programs. programs.

MethodologyMethodology Phenomenology –Phenomenology –

Descriptions of things as one experiences them Descriptions of things as one experiences them (Hammond, Howarth, & Keat, 1991). (Hammond, Howarth, & Keat, 1991).

Methodological approach - the essence of Methodological approach - the essence of seeking an understanding of the seeking an understanding of the interrelationship of the person & their world.interrelationship of the person & their world.

Appropriate for exploring the experience of Appropriate for exploring the experience of being a male in a female-concentrated educ being a male in a female-concentrated educ program. program.

Focus GroupsFocus Groups

Giorgi’s (1985) approach to data analysis.Giorgi’s (1985) approach to data analysis.

Data CollectionData Collection

Questions Questions Describe your exp of being a student Describe your exp of being a student

nurse? nurse? What motivated you to enter nursing?What motivated you to enter nursing? Describe how your family/friends/peers Describe how your family/friends/peers

feel about your career choice?feel about your career choice? What are the challenges within the What are the challenges within the

nursing program?nursing program? What would make it better? What would make it better? (Probes: (Probes:

supports & recommendations for change)supports & recommendations for change)

Data Collection/Focus Data Collection/Focus GroupsGroups

27 Participants 27 Participants

Group A - 4 students Group A - 4 students (Mainly FT)(Mainly FT) Group B - 9 students Group B - 9 students (All yrs FT & (All yrs FT &

Reg)Reg) Group C - 5 students Group C - 5 students (Year 2) (Year 2) Group D - 5 students Group D - 5 students (FT program)(FT program) Group E - 4 studentsGroup E - 4 students (Year 2 & 3) (Year 2 & 3)

Data AnalysisData Analysis Transcription of tape-recorded focus group Transcription of tape-recorded focus group

interviews & interview notes. interviews & interview notes.

Giorgi's (1985) guidelines for data analysis.Giorgi's (1985) guidelines for data analysis. Read the transcripts to obtain a sense of the whole; Read the transcripts to obtain a sense of the whole; Reread the transcripts, analyzing the common Reread the transcripts, analyzing the common

elements; elements; Transform the language into a conceptual Transform the language into a conceptual

perspective of the experience, relative to the perspective of the experience, relative to the phenomenon of interest;phenomenon of interest;

Combine & synthesize these meaning units/themes Combine & synthesize these meaning units/themes into a final general description which reflects the into a final general description which reflects the lived experience of the participants. lived experience of the participants.

ThemesThemes Choosing NursingChoosing Nursing

Becoming A NurseBecoming A Nurse

Visible/InvisibleVisible/Invisible

Caring within the Caring within the Nsg roleNsg role

Gender-Based Gender-Based StereotypingStereotyping

Comments re Women’s Comments re Women’s HealthHealth

““In OBS you have to do assessments and In OBS you have to do assessments and stuff. I had to bring a female nurse with stuff. I had to bring a female nurse with me… You do get the feeling right of the me… You do get the feeling right of the bat, I am different.” bat, I am different.”

“ “And I remember just going the whole And I remember just going the whole maternity rotation and …..the staff maternity rotation and …..the staff always say to you, ‘You’re never really always say to you, ‘You’re never really see a guy working in this area. It’s kind see a guy working in this area. It’s kind of like its own speciality.”of like its own speciality.”

Comments re Women’s Comments re Women’s HealthHealth

“In our maternity clinical 1 group went to the OR, 1 went to Diagnostic Imaging & the other went to Women’s Health. So the professor decided from past experience that they had negative feedback from guys going to Women’s Health b/c the women didn’t feel comfortable having a male in the room, so the professor assigned all the guys to the OR.”

Comments re Women’s Comments re Women’s HealthHealth

“Pts in OBS don’t have a choice with the docs but with us, they do. I don’t know why that is. I mean like if a male doc came in, they would say well, this is your doc that’s it, but if I came in, in some situations they may be uncomfortable with me, and they’ll say, okay, “can I have a female nurse please?” But you don’t hear many people say, “can I have a female doc?”

Comments re Women’s Comments re Women’s HealthHealth

“In OBS I really feel like "a fish out of water.“ I know it’s a vital part of nsg educ it’s just ah [pause] where I guess we’re not going through the same things we can’t relate quite as easily as females, but for the most part I have had a good experience there. My profs have been very good, & quite understanding.”

Strategies for Nursing Strategies for Nursing ProgramsPrograms

Recruit more male faculty.Recruit more male faculty. Clinical assignments - men in groups.Clinical assignments - men in groups. Co-sign students with men nurses Co-sign students with men nurses

(preceptors).(preceptors). Use/promote dev of gender-neutral Use/promote dev of gender-neutral

teaching materials.teaching materials. Nurse educators reflect on their own Nurse educators reflect on their own

feelings regarding men in nursing.feelings regarding men in nursing.

Strategies for Nursing Strategies for Nursing ProgramsPrograms

Same assignments for female & male Same assignments for female & male students in all clinical areas.students in all clinical areas.

Male faculty advisors for men Male faculty advisors for men students if possible.students if possible.

Gender neutral Recruitment Gender neutral Recruitment Committee market materials.Committee market materials.

Nsg faculty need to have greater Nsg faculty need to have greater understanding of learning styles of understanding of learning styles of male nsg students. male nsg students.

Strategies for Nursing Strategies for Nursing ProgramsPrograms

Faculty need to provide guidance for Faculty need to provide guidance for male & female students in working male & female students in working with pts to provide personal care.with pts to provide personal care.

Work with school guidance Work with school guidance counsellors in providing information counsellors in providing information about nsg as an appropriate career about nsg as an appropriate career for male & female students.for male & female students.

Use of professional male role models Use of professional male role models within the classroom/clinical area. within the classroom/clinical area.

ImplicationsImplications

Provide feedback Provide feedback to Nurse to Nurse EducatorsEducators

Provide feedback Provide feedback to Recruitment to Recruitment Committee Committee

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Thank you to all participants!Thank you to all participants!

Funding:Funding: Atlantic Region Canadian Association of Atlantic Region Canadian Association of

Schools of Nursing Research GrantSchools of Nursing Research Grant Memorial University School of Nursing Memorial University School of Nursing

Research GrantResearch Grant

Questions?Questions?