Conflicting image: Experience of male nurses in a Uganda’s hospital

Abstract

Nursing is still a predominantly female profession. The nursing role of caring has been equated to the feminine personality attributes, as a result the men in nursing are seen as misplaced and therefore faced with barriers. Despite existing stereotypes, global critical shortage of nurses and lack of employment in Africa, more men are joining the profession. However, there is hardly any study which has investigated their unique experiences in Africa. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of male nurses in a Uganda’s hospital when they were treated differently because of gender. Eleven male nurses working at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda participated in the study. Data was generated by face-face interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method. Three main thematic statements emerged describing the experiences of men in nursing in Uganda as a conflicting image of; (1) being appreciated as expressing unique nursing care, (2) being misunderstood as practitioners of other disciplines, (3) being maltreated by colleagues of the profession and other health care workers. The study raised the following issues; the experience of the male nurses in Uganda is similar to other studies in literature; although male nurses contribute significantly and are being recognized for provision of quality patient care, they are yet to be accepted as nurses. Several barriers exist that hinder the recruitment and retention of men in the nursing profession. Not much is known about the experience of men in nursing in the rest of Africa.