Citation

Yellon T, Yellon D. Nurse Educ. Today 2022; 117: e105463.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105463

PMID

35842970

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Individuals from minority populations represent a growing percentage of the nursing workforce. Orthodox Jewish nurses are part of the Israeli nursing workforce, but scarce data and little research is available regarding the influence of nurses'; religious and cultural backgrounds on their interactions with patients. Research regarding touch between the sexes in a professional context refers mainly to male nurses touching female patients. The cultural context of touching patients has also been poorly investigated.

OBJECTIVES: Understanding orthodox Jewish female nursing student's experience of touching male patients.

DESIGN: Qualitative study. SETTINGS: Four academic nursing programs in Israel. PARTICIPANTS: Forty orthodox Jewish female nursing students, academic year 3-4.

METHOD: Descriptive phenomenological approach. Forty in depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken and analyzed according to themes.

RESULTS: Eight categories were identified. From these, three main themes emerged: Supervisor-student relationship (bullying/abuse), negative personal feelings (loneliness/helplines, lack of support, fears, cognitive dissonance) and coping strategies (being tested by God, improving one's self character, positive personal reflection).

CONCLUSION: These students presented with unique challenges facing male patients - which clinical instructors were unaware of. They used their cultural background as a source of power.

FINDINGS may be of global relevance for other nursing schools and health services where nurses come from religious backgrounds.

Language: en

Keywords

Culture; Male patient; Nursing student; Orthodox Jew; Touch