The Perspective of Pregnant Women of Male Student Nurses in Obstetrics and Women’s Health Nursing

Abstract

Purpose:It is seen that male student nurses encounter gender-based barriers during their professional experiences. Our aim was to evaluate the perspective of pregnant women of male students in the maternity clinic. Patients and Methods:The study was conducted March 2019- August 2019 with 421 volunteer pregnant women in the Perinatology Clinic of Trakya University Hospital. The sociodemographic characteristics of the pregnant women were recorded. In order to evaluate the perspectives of the pregnant women of male student nurses, 30 questions consisting of three parts were asked. Results:When asked whether male nurses should work in maternity wards, 61.99% of the pregnant women answered ‘no.’ When asked whether male students should participate in active maternal and neonatal care in maternity wards, 60.09% of pregnant women said ‘No.’ Three-quarters (77.67%) of the pregnant women thought that male student nurses could communicate easily with their husbands, and 71.49% believed their husbands would feel more comfortable with male nurses outside the delivery room. Conclusion:Our study contributed to a better understanding of the approach to male student nurses in obstetrics clinics. As a result of Turkey\'s cultural structure, male students face gender-based prejudices. Changing the social environment in nursing is a difficult process to influence the value judgments of society. We may not have enough time to change the perspective of societies, it may take many years. Students should be encouraged to become nurses who are professionals. Socioculturally equipping student nurses and making them resistant to psychological attrition will encourage them to perform their profession through ownership.