From classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in Türkiye

Abstract Background Nursing has historically been perceived as a female-dominated profession due to deeply rooted gender norms. Although legal and social advancements have promoted gender equality, male nurses remain underrepresented worldwide. Gender-related stereotypes continue to shape nursing ed...

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Main Authors: Sevim Şen Olgay, Begüm Kırık, Esra Uğur, Hediye Arslan Özkan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Nursing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03648-y
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author Sevim Şen Olgay
Begüm Kırık
Esra Uğur
Hediye Arslan Özkan
author_facet Sevim Şen Olgay
Begüm Kırık
Esra Uğur
Hediye Arslan Özkan
author_sort Sevim Şen Olgay
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Nursing has historically been perceived as a female-dominated profession due to deeply rooted gender norms. Although legal and social advancements have promoted gender equality, male nurses remain underrepresented worldwide. Gender-related stereotypes continue to shape nursing education and practice by influencing the roles, expectations, and opportunities for both male and female nurses. This study aimed to explore how gender norms impact the experiences of nursing students and educators in Türkiye. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was employed, using semi-structured individual interviews with 14 nursing students and 15 educators. Participants were recruited from diverse academic and clinical settings through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and key insights from the data. Results Three main themes with eight subthemes emerged: (1) The Impact of Gender on Professional Identity Perception, (2) Gender-based Experiences in Educational and Clinical Settings, and (3) The Role of Gender in Professional Socialization. The findings revealed that gender norms significantly influenced perceptions, experiences, and interactions within both educational and clinical contexts. Conclusions Participants described how gender influenced their perceptions, experiences, and professional socialization. Many reported that gender-based stereotypes and biases affected educational and clinical practices, posing challenges to equal participation. Targeted strategies, including curriculum reforms, gender-sensitive mentorship programs, and institutional policies, are essential for creating a more inclusive and equitable nursing education and practice environment in Türkiye.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1472-6955
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
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series BMC Nursing
spelling doaj-art-e2d8b26d5156462995ab3245eef355bc2025-08-20T04:01:53ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552025-07-0124111710.1186/s12912-025-03648-yFrom classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in TürkiyeSevim Şen Olgay0Begüm Kırık1Esra Uğur2Hediye Arslan Özkan3Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Acıbadem UniversityFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Yeditepe UniversityFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Acıbadem UniversityFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Yeditepe UniversityAbstract Background Nursing has historically been perceived as a female-dominated profession due to deeply rooted gender norms. Although legal and social advancements have promoted gender equality, male nurses remain underrepresented worldwide. Gender-related stereotypes continue to shape nursing education and practice by influencing the roles, expectations, and opportunities for both male and female nurses. This study aimed to explore how gender norms impact the experiences of nursing students and educators in Türkiye. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was employed, using semi-structured individual interviews with 14 nursing students and 15 educators. Participants were recruited from diverse academic and clinical settings through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and key insights from the data. Results Three main themes with eight subthemes emerged: (1) The Impact of Gender on Professional Identity Perception, (2) Gender-based Experiences in Educational and Clinical Settings, and (3) The Role of Gender in Professional Socialization. The findings revealed that gender norms significantly influenced perceptions, experiences, and interactions within both educational and clinical contexts. Conclusions Participants described how gender influenced their perceptions, experiences, and professional socialization. Many reported that gender-based stereotypes and biases affected educational and clinical practices, posing challenges to equal participation. Targeted strategies, including curriculum reforms, gender-sensitive mentorship programs, and institutional policies, are essential for creating a more inclusive and equitable nursing education and practice environment in Türkiye.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03648-yNursing educationGender discriminationSocialization
spellingShingle Sevim Şen Olgay
Begüm Kırık
Esra Uğur
Hediye Arslan Özkan
From classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in Türkiye
BMC Nursing
Nursing education
Gender discrimination
Socialization
title From classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in Türkiye
title_full From classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in Türkiye
title_fullStr From classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in Türkiye
title_full_unstemmed From classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in Türkiye
title_short From classroom to clinic: a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in Türkiye
title_sort from classroom to clinic a qualitative study of gendered experiences among nursing students and educators in turkiye
topic Nursing education
Gender discrimination
Socialization
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03648-y
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