A qualitative study on decent work perception among male nurses in the ICU

To explore the lived experiences of decent work perception among male ICU nurses in China, so as to provide evidence for nursing administrators to improve management strategies and retain male nursing workforce.

An interpretative phenomenological research design guided by the Psychology of Working Theory was adopted. Using purposive sampling, 14 male nurses working in ICUs were recruited from multiple tertiary hospitals across four provinces in China. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted between June and July 2026, and the data were analyzed using Van Manen's six-step phenomenological analysis method.

Findings revealed a dynamic process underlying male ICU nurses' experiences of decent work. Participants constructed a sense of decent work through institutional safeguards, social recognition, and professional value. However, this experience was continuously challenged and eroded by high-pressure working conditions, gender stereotypes, and insufficient respect. Despite these challenges, male ICU nurses pursued more decent work through expectations for career development, supportive working conditions, and greater social recognition.

Hospitals and nursing managers should pay attention to the unique challenges faced by male ICU nurses, including professional identity conflicts and insufficient social recognition arising from high-intensity work environments and culturally rooted masculine role expectations within the Chinese context. Targeted efforts should be made to strengthen professional recognition and provide diverse career development pathways to promote the sustainable development of the male nursing workforce.