Özet:

Objective: This study seeks to reveal the experiences of the male students witnessing vaginal birth for the first time. Methods: The study, which was carried out using qualitative research method, was conducted between September-December 2017 with 14 male students who took the Nursing for Gynecological Health and Diseases course within undergraduate level in the department of nursing at a state university in Izmir, had witnessed vaginal birth for the first time in the delivery room practice and gave consent to participate in the study. The data were collected by individual in-depth interview method using the Personal Information Form and Semi-Structured In-Depth Interview Form, and analyzed with the conventional content analysis method. Results: Two main themes (perception of birth and preferences) and six sub-themes (expectations, experiences, gains, mode of birth, attending a birth, and male nurse in the birth room) were determined in the study. Students stated that while watching labor, they usually experience emotions such as fear, stress, sadness and happiness together and they stated that they put themselves in the place of the mother who gave birth. Most of the male students stated that their love and gratitude to their mother increased more after watching the labor, they wanted to give birth to support their spouse in the future (n = 11), and half of the students (n = 7) stated that they wanted their spouse to have a normal birth in the future. Conclusion: Witnessing vaginal birth contributed to the male students in understanding women and their importance. In addition, the positive gains of male students after watching the labor will be effective in determining the needs of women and planning their care in the professional life of male nurses after graduation.

Anahtar Kelimeler: