Development and psychometric testing of the gender misconceptions of men in nursing (GEMINI) scale among nursing students.

BACKGROUND: Misconceptions about men in nursing may influence recruitment and retention, further perpetuating the gender diversity imbalance in the nursing workforce. Identifying misconceptions and implementing early intervention strategies to address these deep-rooted stereotypes remain challenging but is considered critical to support students who are commencing a nursing career. OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the 'Gender Misconceptions of meN in nursIng (GEMINI) Scale. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. METHODS: Pre-registration nursing students enrolled in undergraduate nursing programmes across 16 nursing institutions in Australia were surveyed from July to September 2021. The 17-item self-report GEMINI Scale measured the gender misconceptions of men in nursing. RESULTS: Of the 1410 completed surveys, data from 683 (45%) women were used for exploratory factor analysis showing a one factor structure, while data from 727 men (47%) were used for confirmatory factor analysis of the 17-item GEMINI Scale, which showed a good model fit. The scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.892). Men were found to have higher gender misconceptions (p < 0.001) while respondents who: (a) identified nursing as their first career choice (p = 0.002); (b) were in their final year of programme enrolment (p = 0.016); and (c) engaged in health-related paid work (p = 0.002) had lower gender misconceptions. CONCLUSION: The GEMINI Scale is a robust, valid, reliable, and easy to administer tool to assess misconceptions about men in nursing, which may potentially influence academic performance and retention. Identifying and addressing specific elements of misconceptions could inform targeted strategies to support retention and decrease attrition among these students. IMPACT STATEMENT: Genderism harms nursing, as well as the men and women working in the profession. Recruitment and retention of men into nursing is needed to cultivate male role models and diversify the workforce, however this is impeded by negative portrayals in popular culture and misconceptions entrenched in society.

A collaborative approach to the implementation of a structured clinical handover tool (iSoBAR), within a hospital setting in metropolitan Western Australian: A mixed methods study.

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an education intervention for the implementation of the clinical handover tool iSoBAR, in an acute setting. A quantitative, descriptive survey design, using pre and post survey data before and after the implementation of an education intervention was used. Twenty nine nurses, doctors and allied health personnel employed at the study site participated in the study. The educational intervention consisted of an electronic presentation plus simulated video recorded exemplars of clinical handover. Outcome measures were the efficacy of the education intervention on the confidence of practitioners using the iSoBAR handover tool. Participants' understanding of the iSoBAR tool using Mann-Whitney U test was 2.54 pre-intervention and 4.32 post-intervention. Confidence in using the tool also increased post educational intervention from 2.7 (pre-intervention) to 4.07 (post-intervention). Focus groups identified several factors relating to the implementation of iSoBAR, creating two dominant themes: challenges concerning patient factors and change management processes and systems. Opportunities were identified: Practice enhancement, patient centred care, professional practice, and grassroots initiatives. The use of an interprofessional educational program increased the confidence and understanding of a range of health care practitioners when using the clinical handover tool iSoBAR.

The male of the species: a profile of men in nursing.

AIM: To establish a profile of men in nursing in Western Australia and explore the perception of men in nursing from the perspective of male and female nurses. BACKGROUND: A project team, including some of the current authors, produced a YouTube video and DVD about men in nursing which led to further enquiry on this topic. DESIGN: The study employed a non-experimental, comparative, descriptive research design focused on a quantitative methodology, using an online survey in early 2014. METHOD: A convenience sample incorporated registered and enrolled nurses and midwives in Western Australia. FINDINGS: The range of data included demographic information and the respondents' perceptions of men in nursing were collected. Findings indicated that the main reasons for choosing a career in nursing or midwifery were similar for both genders. Common mis-perceptions of men in nursing included: most male nurses are gay; men are not suited to nursing and men are less caring and compassionate than women. Suggestions to promote nursing to men included: nurses are highly skilled professionals; there is the potential to make a difference for patients; nursing offers stable employment, professional diversity and opportunities for team work. There is a diminished awareness of opportunities for men in nursing and negative stereotypes related to men in nursing persist. CONCLUSION: The study produced recommendations which included: using the right message to target the recruitment for men and promoting a more realistic understanding of the profile and perception of men in nursing.