Perspectives of Tanzanian male nurses on societal perceptions and their influence on professional identity and patient care: a descriptive qualitative study in Dodoma, Tanzania

Professional identity is a key component of nursing practice that influences motivation, job satisfaction, professional commitment, and the quality of patient care. Negative stereotypes and limited recognition of nursing roles may weaken professional confidence and affect care delivery. Understanding male nurses’ perceptions of how society views their professional role is essential for developing strategies that strengthen their professional identity and enhance the quality of patient care. Therefore, this study aimed to explore Tanzanian male nurses’ perspectives regarding societal perceptions of their profession, and to examine how these perceived perceptions shape their professional identity and influence their delivery of patient care. A descriptive qualitative research design was adopted to guide this study, which was conducted at two healthcare facilities in Dodoma City, Tanzania. The study included ten registered male nurses working at these facilities. A purposive sampling technique was employed to identify male registered nurses possessing experience relevant to the study topic, supplemented by convenience sampling to accommodate participants’ availability during the data collection period. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews guided by an open-ended interview guide and all interviews were audio-recorded. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis following the Braun and Clarke framework. Analysis of the data revealed four major themes: [1] Societal Perceptions and Professional Identity of Male Nurses, [2] Persistent Traditional Beliefs and Gender Stereotyping, [3] Impact of Societal Perceptions on Nurse-Patient Relationships and Psychological Well-being, and [4] Educating the community and promoting accountability. These themes illustrate how societal perceptions shape nurses’ professional identity, interpersonal interactions with patients, and overall work performance. The negative stereotypes held by society and the continuous misrepresentation of the role of nursing harmed the professional status of men in nursing, damaged the relationships between nurses and their patients, and lowered the standard of care given. The participants said that they had felt their role being undervalued, had experienced frustration, had seen their motivation decrease, and had suffered psychological distress because of the ongoing societal misjudgment of their profession. Although they faced these difficulties, the nurses used a variety of coping methods and advocacy techniques in order to deal with the misconceptions and keep their commitment to the profession. These findings show that there is a need for specific interventions aimed at improving the public’s understanding of nursing roles and increasing professional recognition, in order to improve nurses’ well-being and the general quality of patient care.