ArticleBMC nursing2026
Exploring the career trajectories of male nursing leaders: a qualitative study on leadership acquisition.
Article in BMC nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundNursing has historically been a female-dominated profession; however, the increasing presence of male nurses in management and leadership roles has attracted increasing scholarly and institutional attention. This qualitative study explores the career trajectories of male nurse managers and the key enablers that support their progression into formal leadership positions within a gendered professional context.
methodsA descriptive phenomenological approach was used to conduct semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 10 nursing managers. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling in a high-level tier hospital in China. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step method for descriptive phenomenology.
resultsFour core themes emerged: early systematic career planning, solid clinical expertise, effective mentor support, and strategies to navigate gendered work environments. These were refined into 10 subthemes: clarifying leadership intent early; accumulating leadership-relevant experiences deliberately; building credibility through high-standard practice; clinical expertise enabling leadership behaviors; demonstrating capability during critical incidents; early guidance on career direction and role fit; Skill development through mentorship; managing stereotypes and expectations about male nurses; building collaborative relationships in female-majority teams; and balancing visibility with legitimacy in leadership roles.
conclusionThis study offers practical and theoretical insights for fostering male nurse leadership. Health institutions should institutionalize mentorship, provide early career-planning support, and cultivate inclusive environments to advance diversity and equity in nursing leadership.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.