title: The essence of helping: significant others and nurses in action draw men into nursing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nurses are ageing placing nursing workforce sustainability under threat. An untapped potential resource of men in nursing exists within Australia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the first phase of this longitudinal study was to investigate why men choose nursing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative methodological approach used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  "What are the experiences of male graduate nurses regarding their career choice?"
  
  
  METHODS
  The IPA method focused on personal subjective experience where the participants' own sense-making is important. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a format relevant to IPA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Purposeful snowball sampling recruited nine nurses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The "essence of helping" permeated the key theme through significant others and career choice triggers impacting on their decision to enter nursing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to nurses in action is purported to enhance the awareness of nursing as a career option for men that may contribute to increased recruitment of men into nursing.
authors: a School of Nursing and Midwifery , The University of Notre Dame , 19 Mouat St (PO Box 1225), Fremantle 6959 , Western Australia , Australia.
authors: Dianne
authors: D
authors: Juliff
authors: a School of Nursing and Midwifery , The University of Notre Dame , 19 Mouat St (PO Box 1225), Fremantle 6959 , Western Australia , Australia.
authors: Kylie
authors: K
authors: Russell
authors: a School of Nursing and Midwifery , The University of Notre Dame , 19 Mouat St (PO Box 1225), Fremantle 6959 , Western Australia , Australia.
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Bulsara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002321:Career Choice; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: career choice triggers; helping; men in nursing; motivators; significant others