Career process experiences of male nurse managers: a qualitative research

Male nurses remain underrepresented in the global nursing workforce. Despite a growing need for gender diversity in healthcare, the career trajectories of male nurses, particularly those in managerial roles, have been underexplored.

The aim of this study was to determine the career process experiences of male nurse managers.

Descriptive phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Data were collected via video conferencing between September 2021 and February 2022 from 11 male nurse managers employed in university hospitals, Ministry of Health hospitals, and private healthcare facilities in Istanbul, Türkiye. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method. The form consisted of open-ended questions designed to gather participants' personal and professional information, explore their experiences with career.

Career processes of male nurse managers findings were organized into four primary themes: "Pre-Employment Experiences", "Entering the Workforce", "Professional Experiences", "Career Development and Future Plans". These themes were further explored through the identification of 7 subthemes (Choice of Profession, Studentship, Interactions with Patients/Patient relatives, Interactions with Managers, Interactions with doctors, Being selected as a manager, Future plan) and corresponding codes.

Male nurse managers experienced both positive and negative situations related to their gender throughout their educational and professional journey, impacting their managerialprogression.