Identifier

etd-10052006-091215

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Resource Education and Workforce Development

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Previous researchers have reported that societal definitions of masculinity may act as a barrier to men entering the nursing profession, and that men who do enter nursing may hold a different view of masculinity. The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning of masculinity for recent male baccalaureate nursing program graduates. In addition, the study explored how the participants’ perceived meaning of masculinity shaped or influenced their nursing education experiences, and in turn how their nursing education experiences may have shaped or influenced their perceived meaning of masculinity. A phenomenological research design was used to study eight male baccalaureate nursing program graduates. Data analysis revealed five distinct themes: career trajectory, educational experiences, masculine image, masculine attitudes and masculine caring. It was concluded that the men in this study had an overall complicit meaning of masculinity, personally rejecting the oppressive and dominating normative standards of masculinity, but recognizing and benefiting from patriarchal practices. The men perceived that their meaning of masculinity had influenced their nursing education experiences and in turn their nursing education experiences had influenced their meaning of masculinity by helping them develop affective caring and integrating this type of caring into their meaning of masculinity.

Date

2006

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Krisanna Machtmes

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.2492

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