Patients' preferences for nurses' gender in Jordan

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Sociology

Background:

• Patient preferences regarding healthcare provider gender can influence satisfaction and care quality.
• Understanding these preferences is crucial for effective healthcare workforce planning and patient-centered care.
• Cultural factors may play a significant role in shaping patient expectations of nurse gender.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient preferences for nurses' gender within different healthcare sectors in Jordan.
• To analyze gender-based differences in patient preferences for male versus female nurses.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative study involving 919 participants from public, private, and university hospitals in Jordan.
• Data collection via standardized individual interviews using a questionnaire.
• Analysis of patient preferences based on their gender and the nurse's gender.

Main Results:

• Gender preferences for nurses were more pronounced among female patients.
• Two-thirds of female patients preferred female nurses, compared to only 3.4% preferring male nurses.
• One-third of male patients preferred male nurses, while 10% preferred female nurses.

Conclusions:

• Significant gender-based preferences exist for nurses in Jordan, with strong female patient preference for female nurses.
• The findings suggest a need for health policy review regarding the enrollment of male nursing students.
• Recommendations for health policymakers in Jordan to reconsider the high percentage of male nursing students.