Professional identity development among male psychiatric nurses in China: a qualitative study

Abstract Background Men remain underrepresented in nursing and often face gender stereotypes, occupational stigma, and challenges related to professional identity. These issues may be particularly pronounced in psychiatric nursing, where care involves therapeutic relationships, emotional labor, long-term patient contact, and exposure to aggression. This study explored how professional identity developed over the careers of male psychiatric nurses in China. Methods A qualitative study was conducted with 16 male psychiatric nurses from a specialist psychiatric hospital in China. Data were collected between October and December 2025 through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Three themes were developed. Stumbling into commitment described how participants entered psychiatric nursing through pragmatic or deliberate routes, encountered early shock and a double stigma relating both to men in nursing and to psychiatric work, and gradually settled into the work. Growing through relationships showed how professional growth developed through patients, colleagues, and teams, as participants moved from task completion toward relational and preventive judgment. Strength in caring captured how physical strength, often expected of male nurses, could be useful in acute risk situations when integrated with restraint, protection, clinical judgment, and relational care. Participants described strong commitment and pragmatic stability, alongside a contrasting account of occupational fatigue. Conclusions Male psychiatric nurses’ professional identity developed gradually and unevenly through career experiences involving pragmatic entry, early shock and strain, relational learning, and strength in caring. Nursing managers should support early adaptation, occupational safety, mentorship, relational competence, and long-term career sustainability.