Experiences of female faculty teaching male students in maternity nursing: a qualitative study

Abstract

Male students’ integration into maternity nursing education in Saudi Arabia is a relatively recent and culturally sensitive development that presents distinct pedagogical challenges. Despite broader research, how female faculty members navigate gender-sensitive content for male learners has been underexplored. This study aimed to explore female nursing faculty members’ experiences of teaching male students in maternity nursing courses in Saudi Arabia. Eight female nursing faculty members were recruited through purposive sampling. An inductive qualitative approach involving in-depth, face-to-face, and semi-structured interviews was used. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified: (1) faculty discomfort and emotional self-management when teaching sensitive maternity content; (2) student anxiety and clinical readiness; and (3) institutional support and innovation needs. These themes often overlapped, illustrating how sociocultural and systemic factors collectively shape the learning environment for male nursing students in maternity nursing education. The findings can inform and improve educational practices by promoting culturally responsive, learner-centered, and experiential teaching strategies to reduce female faculty members’ teaching discomfort and improve male students’ learning in maternity nursing education. Not applicable.