Assessing Staff Nurses’ and Female Patients` Perceptions of Male Nursing at Tanta University Hospital

Background: The demand for registered nurses is growing substantially disproportionately
with the predicted supply over the next 2 decades. Progress has been made towards providing
a friendly environment to men entering the profession. There has been wide support from
female nurses as well. Female are now growing more amenable to males in nursing. More and
more men are entering this profession because they realize that nursing is a highly respected,
highly technical field that pays pretty decent. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess staff
nurses’ and female patients` perceptions of male nursing at Tanta University Hospital.
Design: A comparative design was used. Setting: The study was conducted at Tanta
University Main Hospital. Sample: The sample consisted of (350) staff nurses and (300)
female patients from different departments of Tanta University Main Hospital. Tool: The
data was collected using a questionnaire sheet. It was developed by the researchers after
thorough review of literature. Results: Close to half of the staff nurses (43%) and more than
half (57.53%) of female patients prefer that male nursing working in emergency departments.
More than half (68%) of staff nurses consider male nursing as staff nurse, while, fifty percent
(50.78%) of female patients were seen male nursing as an administrator. 74% & 63.03%
respectively of staff nurses and female patients perceived males that they will be improve the
image and status of nursing. The majority (93%) of staff nurses and high percentage (72.61%)
of female patients are disagree about nursing should be a female profession. Slightly more
than half (51%) from staff nurses perceived men nursing as totally low, while, 60.3% percent
from female patients perceived men nursing as totally medium. Conclusion: It can be
concluded that high percent of the staff nurses and female patients prefer that male nursing
working in emergency departments, and they will be improve the image and status of nursing
and they are disagree about nursing should be a female profession. The main study
recommendations included, develop and/or support recruitment efforts designed to attract
men and women equally, portraying both men and women as representatives of the nursing
profession, strategies for increasing the quantity and quality of available recruitment
information that depicts both masculine and feminine qualities, media campaigns that
promote nursing as a well-rounded profession, having both men and women as nurses and the
use male recruitment and mentorship programs in nursing schools and nurse practice
environments.