Professional Identity of Male Nursing Students in 3-Year Colleges and Junior Male Nurses in China

PURPOSE: To investigate the changing tendency and influencing factors of the professional identity of male nursing students in 3-year colleges and junior male nurses in China. BACKGROUND: In China, the majority of nurses are 3-year nursing college graduates, among which male nurses are underrepresented. Many male nurses leave the profession 3 or 4 years after graduation. Little is known about the professional identity of Chinese male nursing students in 3-year colleges and junior male nurses. METHODS: This study included 237 male nursing students from a 3-year college and 33 junior male nurses with less than 3 years of experience in China. By using the data collected with the Professional Identity Questionnaire of Nursing Students and through in-depth semistructured interviews from November 2019 to April 2020, t-test, and ANOVA analysis in SPSS22.0 were conducted and thematic analysis was applied to interviews. RESULTS: Compared with undergraduate nursing students, Chinese male nursing students in 3-year colleges had a better professional identity, displaying a declining tendency with grades. Junior male nurses reported the lowest professional identity. Demographic factors such as family residence and presence of relatives in medical service were positively related to professional identity. Low professional identity was related to heavy workload as well as gender stereotypes. Two unique contextual factors influenced the professional identity: (a) curriculum setting and (b) nurse exams. CONCLUSION: College education and initial working experience were critical to professional identity formation for male nurses. Appropriate measures need to be taken to improve professional identity and promote gender diversity.