title: Societal perceptions of male nurses in South Korea: A Q-methodological study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the remarkable changes in today's nursing profession is the emergence of male nurses. In order to promote the development of nursing, it would be beneficial for a positive perception of male nurses to be established in society. This study identified the public perceptions of male nurses in South Korea by using Q methodology and offered basic strategies for enhancing the perception of male nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Q-methodological approach, suitable for subjective research, was used for a survey. Q statements were based on 600 Q concourses that were collected through a literature review and individual interviews. Thirty-seven final Q statements were selected from those. The P sample was collected from 45 persons who were likely to represent a diverse range of views about male nurses. The collected data were analyzed with PQMethod software; a principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to identify the patterns of the public's perception of male nurses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four distinct perspectives were identified: progressive occupational; conservative occupational; negative occupational; and supportive occupational.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provided strategies for improving the public's views of male nurses in a conservative country with gender stereotypes. These findings also could attract more male nurses into the profession and increase their retention.
authors: Department of Nursing, Youngsan University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors: Ick-Jee
authors: IJ
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Nursing, Inje University, Busan, Korea.
authors: Sang-Hee
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Nursing, Kosin University, Busan, Korea.
authors: Sue-Kyung
authors: SK
authors: Sohn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009727:Nurses, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 
  Q methodology; male; nurse; perception