Dissertation: Nurse Educators' Perceptions of Male Nursing
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NURSE EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTIONS OF MALE NURSING STUDENTS IN THE CLINICAL SETTING A dissertation submitted to the Kent State University College of Education, Health and Human Services in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Mary Kathleen Dwinnells May 2017 © Copyright, 2017 by Mary Kathleen Dwinnells All Rights Reserved ii A dissertation written by Mary Kathleen Dwinnells A.D.N., Youngstown State University, 1980 B.S.N., Youngstown State University, 1982 M.S.N., Kent State University, 1989 Ph.D., Kent State University, 2017 Approved by __________________________________, Director, Doctoral Dissertation Committee James G. Henderson __________________________________, Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Denise N. Morgan __________________________________, Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Teresa Rishel Accepted by __________________________________, Director, School of Teaching, Learning, Alexa L. Sandmann and Curriculum Studies __________________________________, Interim Dean, College of Education, Health Mark A. Kretovics and Human Services iii DWINNELLS, MARY KATHLEEN, Ph.D., May 2017 TEACHING, LEARNING, AND CURRICULUM STUDIES NURSE EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTIONS OF MALE NURSING STUDENTS IN THE CLINICAL SETTING (170 pp.) Director of Dissertation: James G. Henderson, Ed.D. Men have worked in the nursing profession throughout history, yet, the stereotypes and gender bias that male nurses experience still permeates society today. Indications of these may be responsible for the relatively minimal growth in the percentage of males choosing nursing as a career. Studies on nurse educators’ evaluative interactions and observations of male nursing students’ performance have not included those in a clinical setting, a critical component of nursing education. No research has provided insight into the nurse educators’ perceptions of male nursing students in these settings, although there is a plethora of literature focused on men in nursing. Thus, this study examined nurse educators’ perceptions of male nursing students in the clinical setting utilizing a multicase study design. Results of this study noted four prominent themes related to nurse educators’ perceptions: preconceived assumptions, the concept of caring, persisting gender stereotypes and the exploitation of physical strength. These findings indicate that nurse educators continue to perpetuate the lingering stereotypes and gender biases that have plagued males for decades. Implications for nursing education include engaging students in reciprocal dialogue, educating others about the differences in caring between genders, and critically reevaluating the curriculum in order to create a warm, fair, and educational environment that invites males into this profession. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS “ If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Issac Newton This dissertation would not have been possible without the support and guidance of some very special people, beginning with my advising committee. Dr. James Henderson, you have been part of this Ph.D. journey since my first class and have taught me an incredible amount about education. Your guidance and knowledge has enabled me to think outside the box and your passion for education is palpable and inspiring. Thank you Dr. Denise Morgan for your amazing insightful comments and suggestions. You challenged me to think and write beyond what I thought I was capable. You forced me to write like a scholar. Dr. Teresa Rishel, you have been a friend and a mentor from my first semester. Although you became my “outside advisor,” you really never left; for that I am grateful. I see nursing in your future some day! I want to also thank Dr. Scott Courtney who graciously accepted to read my dissertation as the Graduate Faculty Representative. It has been a pleasure and an honor to work with this amazing group of scholars. Special thanks to my “critical Ph.D friend” Marcy Caplin. Your critique of my papers was honest, and tough at times, but when you told me “it’s not your best work,” you were right. Thank you, Teddi Humberger, for your awesome typing, formatting, and table expertise. You are an artistic computer genius! iv A huge thank you to my children Erin, Sarah, Emily, Abbey, and Buddy. For over five years you had to deal with a part time mom. Your support and encouragement gave me strength to keep moving forward. You became my personal cheerleading squad! Finally, to the love of my life, my husband Ron. There are few words to adequately thank you for your loving and caring support throughout this journey. This dissertation is as much about me as it is you. You read, edited, and reread my papers as often as I did. You stood by me faithfully, lifted me up on down days, and helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel. You are an amazing husband and for that I am forever grateful. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 Statement of Significance ........................................................................................1 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................6 Research Questions ..................................................................................................6 Significance of the Term Perception .......................................................................7 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................9 Social Role Theory ................................................................................................14 Definitions of Terms ..............................................................................................18 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE.......................................................................................21 Men in Non-Traditional Occupations ....................................................................21 History of Men in Nursing .....................................................................................24 Perceptions of Men in Nursing ..............................................................................27 Societal Perceptions of Male Nurses ..............................................................28 Media Perceptions ..........................................................................................29 Patient Perceptions ..........................................................................................31 Educational Perceptions ..................................................................................32 Nursing and Non-Nursing Students .......................................................................32 Male Nursing Students’ Perception of Gender Bias and Barriers .........................34 Social Isolation ...............................................................................................37 Caring .............................................................................................................37 Role Strain ......................................................................................................40 Communication Challenges ............................................................................40 III. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................43 Case Study .............................................................................................................43 Rationale .........................................................................................................45 Multicase Study ..............................................................................................47 Procedures ..............................................................................................................47 Purposeful Sampling and Participants ............................................................47 Site Selection ..................................................................................................49 Data Collection ......................................................................................................50 Qualtrics Survey .............................................................................................52 Interviews .......................................................................................................52 vi Observation .....................................................................................................54 Weekly Email Questions ................................................................................56 Data Analysis .........................................................................................................58 Data Coding ....................................................................................................59 Sorting and Naming Categories ......................................................................61 Cross Case Analysis .......................................................................................61 Quality Criteria ......................................................................................................62