Assessment of Difficulties of Male Nurse Students in a Profession Traditionally Perceived as a Female Domain at Sulaymaniyah Kurdistan Region

Background: In Kurdish society, men entering nursing have yet to be studied from various perspectives. In addition, males generally do not consider nursing a professional choice due to masculine gender characteristics and the prevailing public image. Therefore, nursing must consider alternate solutions to address the demands of the nursing shortage in practice and education.Aim: The study aims to examine the difficulties of male student nurses in a profession in Kurdish society and investigate the causes behind the constant conditions, particularly sociocultural constructs that influence community perceptions of nursing.Method: This study adopted a non-probability (convenience sampling) design. The experiences of 276 undergraduate male nursing students of the Nursing College of (the University of Sulaimani, Komar University of Science and Technology, and Sulaimani Polytechnic University) were explored. The questionnaires were constructed according to the study's objectives, consisting of four parts (socio-demographic data, experienced difficulties on campus and clinical setting, social and cultural difficulties, and attraction and remaining in the profession).Result: (%73.9) of the participants revealed that general perception by society and mass media played a significant role in dissuading men from choosing to nurse. Another revelation was that (%68.5) of the students were discriminated against compared to females; therefore (%59.1) refused to encourage a male family member. (%77.2) of the students believed in the ultimate inferiority of nursing regarding medicine. Many reasons contributed to the decision to leave nursing, but most students (%59.8) had to accept nursing because of the 12th-graduate point average. (%76.8) of the students who said the nursing program was not meeting their favorable expectations.Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that sociocultural difficulties were the most significant obstacle faced by male students that caused them not to choose nursing as a first-choice career, as well as the concept that nursing as a profession is recognized as an inferior career choice relative to other health-related professions, such as medicine. However, the reasons for the lack of males in the profession were inherent belief in the naturalism of women as Nurses, poor working conditions and the low pay, and the inability of males to shake off the low reputation men in Nursing had acquired.