Male identity in mental health nursing

To explore the cultural meaning associated with male mental health nurses.

An ethnographic approach was used to discover the meaning informants attach to the cultural norms, values and rules that govern their behaviour. Data were collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews with informants.

Data were analysed using emerging domains and taxonomies regarding male nurse issues. This involved grouping terms, words and everyday reflections collected from the male mental health nurses. These lists of data (taxonomies) enabled the researcher to identify in-depth cultural themes about the attitudes, behaviours and symbolism typically associated with male nurses.

A number of cultural themes emerged, including the notion of 'soft masculinity', which provided some insight into male nurses' experiences of working in a female-dominated workplace. A recurring theme was the need for male nurses to demonstrate gentleness and caring while maintaining a balanced sense of masculine identity.