Shortage of Men Nurses in the Hospitals in Iran and the World: A Narrative Review

An invisible factor, gender has caused a shortage of male specialists in the nursing profession despite the obvious and hidden organizational needs. The aim of this study was to review the causes, barriers and solutions to the problem of shortage of male nurses in the hospitals. In this review article, we found 96 English and Farsi articles by searching the databases of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and Scientific Information Database (SID) using the keywords of male nurse, shortage of nurses, and nursing field during the period of 2008-2018 with no limitations in type of research. After reading and assessing the articles, 26 papers were entered into the study based on the research goals and objectives. The nature of some nursing curricula, lack of sufficient knowledge of the field, misbeliefs such as considering nursing as a feminized profession, dissatisfaction with the profession and lack of adequate support have led to unwillingness or improper employment conditions of men or even turnover. In order to obtain goals of care, measures must be taken such as eliminating barriers to university attendance and recruitment, using guidance tutors, assessing educational and clinical environmental barriers, increasing the income and benefits of the job, providing voluntary shifts, and guiding male individuals since high school. Some factors have visibly or invisibly prevented the sufficient and appropriate presence of men in the nursing profession along or in combination with each other. Nevertheless, given the benefits of the entrance of men into the nursing profession, steps can be taken toward the satisfaction of nurses, patients, and the community by recognizing and eliminating barriers to this issue.