Maintaining Equilibrium: Socialization and Gendered Identities of Iranian Male Nurses

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the process of Iranian male nurses’ professional socialization and how they negotiate a gendered identity. A purposive sample of 22 male nurses was recruited from six public hospitals affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Study data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews. Data collection was continued until reaching data saturation. Totally, 25 interviews were conducted. Data analysis was carried out using Corbin and Strauss’s techniques for qualitative data analysis. The core category of the study, that is, the socialization process of male nurses who participated in the study, was “maintaining equilibrium.” Our participants’ strategies for socialization included informing, conforming, and self-establishing. The study findings can be used for developing effective strategies for male staff recruitment and retention.