Men's Experiences Facing Nurses Stereotyping in Saudi Arabia: A Phenomenological Study

1. INTRODUCTION

Sociocultural variety poses the greatest obstacles to nursing's development in Saudi Arabia as a distinct profession with its own dedicated labor force. Almost half of Saudi Arabia's workforce comprises expatriates or professionals from other countries. Hence, the country is home to people of many different races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. Thus, nurses need to be culturally flexible to effectively serve their patients. The nursing profession is the backbone of healthcare since registered nurses (RNs) constitute the major segment of the hospital staff worldwide [1]. Males and females are both embodied in the profession of nursing. However, females make up most nurses, with the percentage of male nurses reportedly being negligible [2].

Regarding providing care, nurses are indispensable. Despite the industry's long-held stereotype as a “career for women,” more males than ever before are answering the call to become nurses, especially since the kingdom started the Saudi Vision 2030, which requests that all stakeholders in the nursing profession—including administrators, professors, and students work together to transform the profession. Likewise, the ultimate goal of Saudi Vision 2030 is to build an inclusive economy that can support all citizens. Saudi Arabia is laying the groundwork for a bright and prosperous future by fostering an environment that is welcoming to companies of all sizes and by investing in education to train workers for future occupations.

The nursing profession is stereotyped as being dominated by women, low-skilled, underpaid, low educational requirements, and low autonomy [3]. In recent decades, the rising number of male RNs disproves the commonplace belief that nursing is exclusively a female occupation. Some people may assume that male, registered nurses are less expected to show compassion than their female counterparts, however this is not the case. Zamanzadeh et al. [4] have investigated the factors that lead men to become nurses. Men are less likely to consider nursing as a potential profession for some reasons, including inherent gender bias and the public's negative image of the nursing profession. The literature is divided on whether an upturn in the number of male RNs would be beneficial.

Although male RNs have made important contributions to the development of nursing in several subfields, including critical care, mental health, military, and emergency and disaster, the field is still often viewed as a female preserve, especially in Saudi Arabia [5]. Even though males have held nursing positions as far back as the fourth and fifth centuries, nurses and their successes throughout history are primarily a story of women's emancipation. This furthers the stereotype that male nurses do not exist. Subsequently, these associations shed light on how nursing and the job of nurses are viewed and treated differently based on gender in patriarchal societies. Both the nursing skills and masculinity of men are called into doubt [3].

Despite the growing need for nurses, men still make up a tiny fraction of the profession. Concerns about the nursing shortage are joined by worries that the profession does not adequately represent the mixture of the people it serves in relation to gender, nationality, and culture. In fact, men in nursing have been involved in the field for as long as records exist. In the 19^th century, the female nursing society disproportionately impacted the chronological ideology of this noble profession, leading many to discount the contributions of men to the field. According to the results, males have played important roles in nursing throughout history, and this should be considered when evaluating the status of male nurses [6].

There is no single study in Saudi Arabia or even in the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) exploring this phenomenon. In fact, this study has reexamined the idea that men have it tougher in the nursing profession and offers solutions that will help us better grasp the intersections of gender, nursing, and society in Saudi Arabia. Thus, this qualitative study analyzed the lived experiences of male RNs in a selection of healthcare facilities in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia, both public and private. Hence, another study aimed to discover how the nation's male nurses contributed to implementing the Vision 2030 health transformation strategy. By answering the grand tour question, “What are the living experiences of male RNs working in various health institutions, especially aligning the entire nursing workforce towards the Saudi Vision 2030?”

2. METHODS

3. RESULTS

Three main themes were extracted from nine theme clusters that emerged from the participants' accounts of their daily lives as male RNs in Saudi Arabia. Three major themes emerged: “The stigma of men in nursing”, “The nurses: male nurses rising above the challenges”, and “The future of male nurses in Saudi Arabia”. Table 3 shows the summarized keywords, theme clusters, major themes, and operational meanings.

4. DISCUSSION

There is evidence that the first school dedicated to nursing was established in India sometime around 250 B.C. It used to be that only men were allowed to work as nurses since only men were considered “pure” enough. In fact, the contributions of men to the nursing profession are often overlooked. Male caregivers were common in early communities, the military, and the religious sphere [17]. Yet men serving under monastic orders or in the military cared for the impoverished, sick, or injured a millennium ago. Historically, this position was held by males who cared for the sick and elderly [18]. How did women come to dominate the field if this historical fact holds true? Conflicts between 1850 and 1950 reshaped the roles of men and women; males went to fight, while females took on the traditionally female function of nurse. “Every woman is a nurse,” Florence Nightingale said in her 1859 book “Notes on Nursing,” solidifying the gendered division of labor that persists to this day. Despite being underrepresented in the nursing profession, males continue to show this kind of dedication to helping those in need [19].

Before Nightingale, there were already men working as nurses. Nursing males have gone from heroes to outcasts and medical school dropouts [20]. While studies show that men and women are equally drawn to nursing, males typically enter the field through nontraditional routes. Feminists worry that the prevalence of male leaders in the nursing field will harm the standard of care patients receive. Both sexes of patients have strong opinions about which nurse would have been most suited to care for them. As respect for the pioneering work of men's nursing ancestors develops, it is important to do everything possible to ensure that men continue to play an integral role in the field [21, 22]. Three major themes emerged from this qualitative study's findings as seen in Fig. (1): (1) “The stigma of men in nursing”; (2) “Murses: Male nurses rising above the challenges” and (3) “The future of male nurses in Saudi Arabia” were written from the perspective of male RNs in Saudi Arabia and their experiences.

The first major theme, the stigma of men in nursing, is depicted by the participants as “gender stereotyping”, “nursing is for females”, and “male nurses are failed doctors”. Grinberg and Sela [23] stated that nursing has traditionally been female-dominated, with few male nurses. Thus, it impacted the general view of nursing as a profession. It is no secret that male RNs experience sexism and discrimination on the job. Male RNs still endure discrimination, regardless of their qualifications or experience. Budu et al. [24] stated that even though most male RNs enter the field to pursue personal fulfillment, they face additional discrimination on the job due to sociocultural stereotypes of male RNs as “third sex,” “Macho Men” and “Mischief-makers” and because they are excluded from participating in delicate procedures at the hospital. This is a problem since male RNs are less likely to encounter other male nurses than female nurses. Male RN discrimination often leads to workplace violence or horizontal bullying [13, 15].

Suspicion of intimate touch is another cause for male RNs and nursing students to worry about the stigma they face in the field [25]. Based on interviews with male nurses, Harding [26] identified four specific concerns regarding touch: (1) sexism in the use of touch; (2) men's touches are subjected to high sexualization; (3) how easily men can be falsely accused of sexual misconduct; and (4) a lack of instruction in nursing schools on how to help male students feel safe during physical contact and avoid making false allegations of sexual assault. Males are put under unnecessary stress because of this, which can lead to role strain and conflict. In contrast to their female counterparts, nursing men are stereotyped as less empathetic. No single man's abilities should be seen as indicative of all men, and no single woman's abilities should be taken as indicative of all women. Every participant in this qualitative investigation stated that they genuinely care about helping others. The stereotype of male RNs as intolerant, gruff, and irritated is inaccurate. The absence of a “role model” in nursing has contributed to this stress. Male RNs must often serve as pioneering role models from the get-go. This finding challenges the hypothesis that religious belief discourages male nurses from entering the field. Promoting tolerance for gender diversity in nursing requires informing the public about the contributions that men's healthcare services can provide [24]. In addition, research shows that men have a greater affinity for technical details, whereas women are more interested in building a rapport with their patients while protecting their rights to privacy and secrecy [27].

During the interviews with male RNs, they characterized their lived experiences as to “masculine instinct”, “committed to rendering extra shifts”, and “stronger and braver to face adversaries”, which leads to the second major theme called “Murses: Male nurses rising above the challenges”. It could be assumed that men do well in the nursing profession. Due to their greater capacity for leadership and lower numbers, they may have greater financial success and faster job advancement. Despite this, many studies of men in nursing have found that they feel unfulfilled in what is generally viewed as a female-dominated profession and that their masculine identities are at odds with their roles as nurses [28].

Patients of all types had a generally deleterious image of male RNs but a more encouraging view of a male RN who cared for them. In a study conducted in Jamaica, the gender ratio of nursing staff can be altered with the help of exemptional characteristics of male RNs, commitment to patient advocacy, cautious caregivers, empathy, increased agility and stamina, and sense of humor [29]. Despite efforts to recruit more men into nursing, the percentage of male RNs remains low. Particularly in the context of today's shifting sociocultural and healthcare landscapes, resolving this imbalance is crucial if the healthcare staff is to mirror the variety of people. Men may see this profession as rewarding, but the strong cultural association between the profession and femininity may discourage them. The majority of the participants highlighted that to survive the workplace challenges, a male RN should demonstrate intentionality in healing, the value of contemplative spiritual practices, and the importance of growing self-awareness [21, 22].

Finally, the third and final theme, “the future of male nurses in Saudi Arabia”, this theme generated three theme clusters such as “breaking the stereotyping and being a role model”, “vast career opportunity”, and “helping hand in achieving Saudi Vision 2030”. The majority of male registered nurses have a strong dedication to their profession, but they will not fully immerse themselves in the field until certain obstacles are removed. Research into how to attract more males into the nursing workforce is sure to be conducted soon, and nurse managers may play a pivotal role in this [2].

Male nursing students and new graduates may not find many male role models in the field. Mentors serve as role models by demonstrating appropriate clinical and professional conduct. Male and female nurses have equal potential as clinical mentors, although a male RN in a traditionally women-dominated workplace may feel uncomfortable confiding in a female coworker about certain concerns. It is possible that a more seasoned male RN will have encountered subtle forms of discrimination that a female nurse might miss.

Promoting nursing as a field that welcomes applicants of both sexes requires community service projects. Students in Saudi Arabia are encouraged to look up to male RNs during the clinical rotation, orientation, internships, field training, and on social media. So, people in Saudi Arabia do not realize how important male RNs are, and that's why the internet is so important in breaking down stereotypes⁵. The status of nurses in Saudi Arabia needs to be improved so that more people choose to become nurses as their profession of choice. Additionally, the media must do its part to change the public’s negative view of nursing.” [30].

CONCLUSION

Current research on men in nursing shows that traditional notions of masculinity have been a major obstacle for men interested in entering the field. Gender norms can be bent under extreme situations like war and severe nurse staffing shortages. Historically, male nurses have been clustered in the field of mental health care; more recently, they have been overrepresented in positions of leadership and specialization that are more compatible with stereotypes of masculinity. When men's contributions to nursing are ignored, male nurses are left in the dark regarding their profession's roots and evolution. It also helps keep gender dynamics, which have affected nurses' experiences across the board, under the radar. To the detriment of nurses and the nursing profession, such relations continue to be misunderstood and, hence, unchecked.

REFERENCES