Man enough to care: Experiences of men working in the female dominated profession of nursing in the state of Oklahoma

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of men in the female dominated profession of nursing in the State of Oklahoma. This study sought to: understand the experiences of men working in and those who have left the field, utilize interview data to suggest changes to provide support for men in nursing schools and on the job, explore how men manage their concept of masculinity in a female-dominated occupation and elicit changes that might focus on recruiting campaigns. The methodology employed was a qualitative design grounded in a critical feminist and symbolic interactionism frame. The scope of this study included 10 men who are currently or who have worked as nurses in the State of Oklahoma.Findings and Conclusions: The findings suggested that nursing is saturated with particular gendered beliefs and processes that can shape nurses' experiences. This study elicited information on both of the research questions: 1.) what are the experiences of men who enter the female-dominated profession of nursing while in nursing school and how are these experiences gendered? and, 2.) what are the work experiences of men in the female-dominated profession of nursing and how is this personal knowledge gendered? A particularly striking finding that emerged from this study was the discovery of how men managed their concept of masculinity in a female-dominated occupation. Recognition and understanding of these impressions are significant in order to determine how to provide more support for me in nursing. Through inductive and deductive analysis, four major themes emerged: "Empowerment", "Expertise", "Communication", and "Identity". Two sub-themes associated with "Empowerment: were 1.) Segregated job opportunities within nursing, and, 2.) Issues of advancement. Four sub-themes were also associated with "Identity": 1.) Confusion with being the doctor, 2.) Feelings of exploitation by peers, 3.) Reactions to overt and subtle stereotyping, and, 4.) Men's frustration with pervasive feminine concepts of nursing. Many of these themes reflected gendered identities in occupations. It is hoped that this research may assist nursing education to recognize the unique needs of men in nursing and for the profession to be able to recruit and retain more men into the field of nursing

A Different Level of Caring: Navigating the Intersections of Perception of Care in Teaching

This study sought to predict teacher’s perceptions of caring. We surveyed 457 educators using the Caring Abilities Inventory (Nkongho, 1990). Due to the ever increasing diversity of American classrooms, it is critical to determine how to best recognize, recruit, and prepare the next generation of teachers. Findings indicated differences in caring among gender and race. Implications for teacher preparation programs could be a need to gain insight into gendered and racial notions of care

Considerations in Promoting Parent and Family Involvement

It has been recognized for decades that parent and family (PF) involvement is a vital component of students\u27 educational experiences. Moreover, PF involvement is identified as an important protective factor for students. Thus, school administrators and educators understanding and encouraging positive relationships between families and schools may be one way to promote academic, social, and emotional success for youth throughout their lives. The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature on PF involvement and delineate a proposed model of PF involvement to foster resilience in children and youth

Naming Her World: A Freirean Analysis of a Young Woman with Asperger Syndrome's Post-High-School Experience

This article seeks to better understand to what extent the Individual Education Plan (IEP) adequately prepared one girl for major life transitions following high-school graduation