Gender Bias, Psychological Well-Being, and Professional Adaptation Among Male Nurses: A Scoping Review

Background: Male nurses form a minority group in many healthcare institutions and can face gender-based stereotypes, patient refusal, gender role assignment, marginalization in the workplace, and questioning of their suitability for working in caring professions. This scoping review examines the literature on gender discrimination, psychological well-being, and adaptation in professional contexts among male nurses and male nursing students. Methods: This scoping review was performed according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches were performed in Scopus and Web of Science databases and complemented with the use of pre-designed Google Scholar keyword searches. Included studies had a focus on male nurses, men in nursing, or male nursing students and were concerned with gender discrimination, stereotypes, discrimination, psychological well-being, emotional labor, professional identity, burnout, job satisfaction, adaptation, education, organizational support, or retention. Data were extracted and analyzed using narrative and thematic approaches. Results: Forty included studies were identified. Four major themes were revealed: (1) gender discrimination and stereotyping; (2) psychological and professional effects; (3) coping strategies and professional adaptation; and (4) organizational responses and support mechanisms. The included studies reported patient refusal, discomfort in intimate care, gendered role assignment, workplace marginalization, and masculinity-related stereotypes. These experiences were discussed in relation to emotional labor, identity conflict, reduced sense of belonging, burnout, job dissatisfaction, work engagement, and turnover intention. Conclusions: Gender discrimination against male nurses should be understood as both an interpersonal and organizational issue.