The Glass Escalator and the Glass Cage—Between Opportunity and Constraint in Male Nurses' Professional Status: A Scoping Review

AIM: To systematically map factors associated with male nurses' professional status using the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) and describe reported outcomes and evidence gaps across multiple ecological levels. DESIGN: Scoping review. DATA SOURCES: We searched five databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science) through December 2025, supplemented by searches of ProQuest, Google Scholar, and manual ancestry searching. REVIEW METHODS: We extracted and mapped data from 97 quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies using a four-level SEM framework (individual, interpersonal, organizational and sociocultural levels). RESULTS: The studies in this review showed that factors related to male nurses' professional status mapped across ecological levels, suggesting that opportunities and gender constraints coexist at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and sociocultural levels. Reported aspects included career motivation, economic factors, patient preferences for nurse gender, perceptions of intimate care, task distribution, working relationships, and societal stereotypes. These patterns differed across healthcare practices, cultural backgrounds, and career stage. Reported outcomes for professional status included professional identity, burnout, clinical practice adaptations, career development and turnover intention. Evidence primarily focused on male nursing students and male clinical nurses. CONCLUSIONS: Ecological-level factors are associated with male nurses' professional status. Future research and practice should recognize the various contexts that may shape the professional identity and career trajectory of men in nursing. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: This literature review maps current evidence to inform gender-inclusive educational and organizational strategies that support professional development and workforce retention among men in nursing. IMPACT: This review identifies gaps in the evidence on career development and gender in relation to male nursing across contexts. REPORTING METHOD: PRISMA-ScR and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: None.