The professional experiences of male nurses in a healthcare setting of East Africa: the effort to be seen by society and gain professional identity.

PURPOSE: Male nurses around the world face numerous challenges within healthcare settings. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of Somali male nurses in relation to professional identity, social acceptance, and working life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive qualitative research was employed to explore the experiences of male nurses. The study included 15 male nurses working in Mogadishu, East Africa, with nursing experience ranging from one to ten years. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis method. The study was reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research. RESULTS: The majority of the participants were ≤ 30 years of age (73.3%). The four main themes and thirteen sub-themes were identified. The four main themes were "professional identity", "cultural norms", "coping with challenges" and "increasing interest being a male nurse". CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the experiences of male nurses and societal perceptions of their roles exhibit notable similarities across different regions of the world. Nursing education administrators, healthcare policymakers, and hospital managers should implement targeted strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate the barriers faced by male nurses.