Kim, Ick-Jee, Sang-Hee Kim, & Sue-Kyung Sohn (2016, October). Societal perceptions of male nurses in South Korea: A Q-methodological study. Japan Journal of Nursing Science. ePublication ahead of print. (doi: 10.1111/jjns.12152)
Abstract: Aim: One of the remarkable changes in today’s nursing profession is the emergence of male nurses. In order to promote the development of nursing, it would be beneficial for a positive perception of male nurses to be established in society. This study identified the public perceptions of male nurses in South Korea by using Q methodology and offered basic strategies for enhancing the perception of male nurses. Methods: A Q-methodological approach, suitable for subjective research, was used for a survey. Q statements were based on 600 Q concourses that were collected through a literature review and individual interviews. Thirty-seven final Q statements were selected from those. The P sample was collected from 45 persons who were likely to represent a diverse range of views about male nurses. The collected data were analyzed with PQMethod software; a principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to identify the patterns of the public’s perception of male nurses. Results: Four distinct perspectives were identified: progressive occupational; conservative occupational; negative occupational; and supportive occupational. Conclusion: This study provided strategies for improving the public’s views of male nurses in a conservative country with gender stereotypes. These findings also could attract more male nurses into the profession and increase their retention.
Ick-Jee Kim <kimickjee> is in the Department of Nursing, Youngsan University, South Korea.
