Difficulties Encountered by Final-Year Male Nursing Students in Their Internship Programmes

Background: The cultural norms of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia do not encourage men to choose nursing as a career. Understanding male nursing students\u27 experiences of their clinical exposure to the nursing profession throughout their internship might increase their retention. This study explored the experiences of final-year male nursing students as they transitioned to the role of registered nurse. Methods: A qualitative descriptive research design with an inductive content-analysis approach was used. The experiences of 22 final-year male nursing students from three public hospitals in a major city of Saudi Arabia were explored. The data were collected using focus-group interviews and documentary analysis in March 2015 and May 2015. Results: Content analysis revealed three major themes: the societal and cultural image of male nurses, male students\u27 engagement in nursing practice, and restructuring the internship programmes\u27 policies to suit male students\u27 needs. Conclusion: The findings reveal issues that mainly stem from negative social views of nursing as a male profession. Considering the students\u27 social and cultural needs during their internship programme will facilitate their transition into the role of registered nurse and their retention in the nursing profession