A comparison of male and female student perceptions of male friendliness.

摘要

A number of gender-based barriers have been identified in the nursing education process and the attrition rate for men in nursing school has been noted to be higher than for females. Male registered nurses have reported encountering gender-based learning barriers in nursing school, but it was not known if women and nursing students perceived the barriers male graduates report. In this quantitative non-experimental descriptive comparative research study, nursing students were surveyed to compare the perceptions of male and female students about perceived gender-based learning barriers for men in two nursing education programs. A sample of 90 nursing students from an associate degree and practical nursing program in a community college in a large metropolitan area of Ohio completed the Modified Inventory of Male Friendliness in Nursing Programs (O'Lynn, 2004). The findings indicate both male and female participants agree that gender-barriers exist in their nursing programs. However, the findings also indicate gender is a major contributing factor in perception of male friendliness on eleven survey items such as contributions and recruitment of men, disparaging remarks against men, using men to demonstrate assessment, and being accused of sexual inappropriateness when using touch.