Performative Masculinity: A META-Ethnography of Experiences of Men in Academic and Clinical Nursing

Abstract

Gender differences and stereotypes have been widely studied. Performative masculinity or “doing gender” is the adoption of traits considered to be “masculine” to achieve acceptance in society. Performative masculinity, as it relates to career development for men in nursing, could be affected by internal attitudes and career choice, and external influences of culture. There are no critical systematic reviews to describe this process. The aim of this study was to synthesize research on how men in nursing experience masculine identity at work. A systematic literature search and qualitative synthesis using meta-ethnography guided this study. The literature search included studies from the electronic databases of PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, and Airiti Library, published in English or Chinese from 1994 to 2016. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. The meta-syntheses identified three themes describing how men in nursing experience masculine identity at work: (1) Nursing could be a gendered-neutral occupation suitable to both genders; (2) performative masculinity; and (3) strategies used when providing bodywork and care. Exploring insights about the tensions of performative masculinity among men in nursing, this study may help to address the challenges encountered in nursing education, practice, and career development. Establishing a male nursing model based on evidence from academic and clinical practice for nursing students and professional nurses could help to meet the increasing demand for nurses.