| Approximately 129,000 male Registered Nurses (RNs) are employed in nursing, accounting for 5.9% of all RNs employed in nursing. By 2020, the national projected shortage of RNs in the workforce is 291,000. One way to increase the number of nurses is to increase the number of men in nursing.;The purpose of this study was to explore the process that led to the male nurse's decision to become a nurse, the advantages and disadvantages of nursing as a career for the men, and to identify policies and practices that facilitate the entry of men into nursing and the retention of male nurses in the workforce. The study was guided by the Conceptual Model of Nursing and Health Policy (Fawcett & Russell, 2001).;Grounded theory methodology was used to generate a theory of socialization of men into nursing. Data were collected by individual, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 male nurses, residing in Massachusetts, with 1 to 35 years of experience as RNs.;A basic social process, socializing men into nursing, emerged from the data. The basic social process comprises a trajectory of four stages, which encompasses the path that men travel to become nurses. The stages, prior to considering nursing, choosing nursing, becoming a nurse, and being a nurse, occur in a linear fashion. Each stage contains one or more themes.;Recruitment and retention themes also emerged from the data. Recruitment themes included educating the public about the positive aspects of nursing as a career and exposing children to men who are nurses. Retention themes were adequate salaries and benefits, a good practice environment, and personal recognition. The men indicated that retention of nurses was not gender specific.;The theory of socialization of men into nursing has implications for policy and practice at each of the four stages. These included strategies for increasing public awareness of nursing as a career choice for men, educating the public about the benefits of nursing as a career, promoting a male friendly environment in educational settings, and proving male nurses with opportunities to share their enthusiasm for nursing with adolescents who are making career choices: Professional organizations, health care institutions, nursing schools, and individual nurses have opportunities to influence some or all of the policies and practices that affect recruitment and retention of men in nursing. |
