Men in nursing: re-evaluating masculinities, re-evaluating gender.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Studies
• Gender Studies
• Sociology of Professions

Background:

• The discourse on men in nursing often centers on perceived difficulties and a disconnect between masculine identity and the nursing role.
• This perspective is influenced by 'men's movement' literature and sex role theory, prioritizing subjective experiences over socio-political analysis.
• Existing literature tends to focus on the 'hurts' men experience due to socialization, potentially deflecting from material inequalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically re-evaluate the notion that it is difficult for men to be in nursing.
• To propose a more politically astute understanding of gender, nursing, and the profession's socio-political context.
• To shift the analytical focus from individual subjective experiences to the effects of power and material inequalities.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of existing literature on men in nursing.
• Genealogical tracing of ideas within the 'men's movement', sex role theory, and masculinity studies.
• Theoretical re-framing of subjective experiences as effects of power within the nursing profession's socio-political context.

Main Results:

• Men in nursing, despite being a minority, often experience better career outcomes (higher pay, faster promotion).
• The prevailing narrative of difficulty for men in nursing may obscure material inequalities and power dynamics.
• A focus on subjective distress can detract from addressing systemic issues and advancing the interests of all nurses.

Conclusions:

• The perceived difficulty for men in nursing is a discourse that can deflect attention from systemic power structures and material inequalities.
• A more effective approach requires analyzing subjective experiences as products of power, situated within the socio-political and historical context of nursing.
• Advancing the interests of both men and women in nursing necessitates a focus on power, inequality, and the material environment, ultimately benefiting the profession as a whole.