"Oh, We Don't Want the Men Around." The Experience of Men in Nursing During Prelicensure Labor and Delivery Clinical Rotation

The nursing profession has traditionally been dominated by females, with male nurses comprising a small minority. The labor and delivery unit is one area of nursing that is particularly associated with female care providers. Male nursing students face unique challenges and experiences while completing their clinical rotations in this setting. Understanding these challenges is vital to help support them during their clinical rotation. With the nursing shortage being a global concern, all students must be supported to achieve academic success, regardless of gender. This study uses social role theory to explore the experiences of male nursing students during their clinical rotations in the L&D unit. This study used a phenomenological qualitative approach to gather data through in-depth interviews with male nursing students who had completed their labor and delivery unit clinical rotations. The data were thematically analyzed. The analysis identified five main themes: Culture, Exclusion from the Learning Experience, Different Expectations for Men in Labor and Delivery Units, Men are not Equipped to Deal with Emotions in Labor and Delivery Units, and (Mis)interpretation of Touch. This study explored the experiences of male nursing students during their clinical rotations in the labor and delivery unit. The findings will add to the body of knowledge on gender and nursing education and provide valuable insight into the experiences of male nursing students, which can be used to support and improve nursing education in this area.