Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 17, 2011
Discrimination Faced by Male Nurses and Male Midwives: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis
Malanie Li Ling Wong1, Siew Lin Serena Koh1, Wei Zhou Teo1
1Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Aim:
To consolidate and appraise available evidence on the experiences and perceptions of male nurses and male midwives facing discrimination.
Design:
Qualitative systematic review. This review was informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).
Methods:
The Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist was used to appraise included articles, and extracted data were meta-summarised and meta-synthesised using Sandelowski and Barroso's two-step approach.
Data Sources:
PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, ProQuest (Dissertations and Theses Global) and ClinicalTrials.gov were sourced from the inception to December 2022.
Results:
A total of 21 studies were included, involving 283 male nurses and 11 male midwives. Four themes were identified during the meta-synthesis: (1) It's a 'women's world', (2) discrimination within and beyond the workplace, (3) stereotypes and labels and (4) the silver lining.
Conclusion:
This review offered male nurses' and male midwives' perspectives on discrimination faced in nursing. There is a need to ensure gender equality in the nursing profession by reinforcing the importance and value of employing men in this profession.
Implications:
Future research should focus on examining the experiences of male nursing students and other healthcare stakeholders to understand discrimination faced by men in nursing from varied geographical and cultural backgrounds. The findings may provide helpful insights for planning supportive interventions, institutional adjustments, legislative changes, educational initiatives and research that benefit male nurses and male midwives.
Impact:
This qualitative systematic review consolidated and meta-synthesised the available evidence on male nurses' and male midwives' experiences of discrimination. These findings contribute to the understanding of male nurses and male midwives as a gender minority and the need for greater gender equality.
Reporting Method:
PRISMA.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
No patient or public contribution.
Related Concept Videos
01:08Obedience
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
02:16Stereotype Content Model
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:27Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
01:17Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...