Perspectives of nursing among male pre-nursing students: a Q-methodology study

Nursing continues to face workforce shortages globally, and increasing the participation of men has been identified as one strategy for strengthening workforce capacity. In Saudi Arabia, efforts to expand and sustain the national nursing workforce have highlighted the importance of understanding factors that influence career choice among male students. This study explored the subjective viewpoints of male pre-nursing students regarding nursing as a career using Q methodology. A total of 31 male pre-nursing students from a single university in Saudi Arabia were purposively sampled and completed a Q-sort consisting of 40 statements related to motivations, societal influences, and professional perspectives of nursing. Q-sort data were analysed using PQMethod and KADE software; factors were extracted using principal components analysis and rotated using varimax, with defining Q-sorts flagged at p <.05 and a majority of common variance. Three factors were extracted and interpreted using statement rankings, distinguishing statements, consensus statements, and participants’ post-sort comments. Q-sorts from 20 of the 31 participants loaded significantly onto one of three extracted factors, which collectively explained 74% of the variance. Factor 1 (“Professionally Committed and Intrinsically Motivated”) reflected students who viewed nursing as a respected and meaningful profession aligned with their personal values and career aspirations. Factor 2 (“Committed Despite Societal Misunderstanding”) reflected students who valued nursing but perceived persistent societal misconceptions regarding the profession. Factor 3 (“Recognising Nursing’s Value Without Strong Professional Commitment”) reflected students who acknowledged nursing’s importance and contribution to healthcare but demonstrated less evidence of strong vocational commitment. Across all three factors, participants recognised nursing as an important healthcare profession, although they differed in the extent to which they viewed nursing as a desirable future career. Among this purposively selected group of male pre-nursing students, nursing was generally viewed positively, although participants differed in how they perceived the profession and its place within Saudi society. While some participants expressed strong commitment to nursing as a future career, others remained influenced by persistent societal stereotypes and misconceptions. Efforts to increase Saudi Arabian awareness of contemporary nursing roles, provide visible male role models, and expose students to the realities of nursing practice at an early stage may help encourage more men to consider nursing as a career and support their continued engagement with the profession.