Date of Award

2015

Embargo Period

8-1-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Nursing

College

College of Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Charlene Pope

Second Advisor

Mary M. Martin

Third Advisor

Bonnie P. Dumas

Fourth Advisor

Berry S. Anderson

Fifth Advisor

Lynne Nemeth

Abstract

Background: A considerable amount of research has been conducted on the wartime experiences of female nurses who served in the Vietnam conflict and as a result, much is known about their experiences and the impact that their service had on their personal and professional lives. The same, however, is not true for male nurses. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the experiences of male Army Nurse Corps (ANC) Officers may have been substantially different from that of their female colleagues, thus making the impact of the experience on them potentially different. Overall Objective: This study explores and interprets the lived experiences of a purposive sample (n=17) of male nurses who served in the Vietnam conflict. The specific aims are: Aim 1: Explore the study participants’ perceptions prior to entry into the Army Nurse Corps. Aim 2: Identify the accounts of their experiences during their deployment to Vietnam. Aim 3: Describe the impact that service in Vietnam had on their professional and personal lives after their return to the United States. Aim 4: Generate hypotheses for future studies utilizing male nurses who served in Vietnam as the study population with potential for comparison with nurses in subsequent conflicts. Methods: Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to identify and assess the perceptions and attitudes of a purposive sample of 17 US Army Nurse Corps (ANC) officers who served one tour of duty in Vietnam from 1965 to 1971. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured four-part interviews with study participants, average age 26.2 years at time of deployment, who were recruited through military Internet sites. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, analyzed, and interpreted to gain insight into the experiences of male ANC officers prior to, during, and following their deployment to Vietnam. Results: There are clearly identifiable differences in the experiences of males nurses who served in Vietnam when compared to their female colleagues. These include differences in access to basic nursing education, the threat of the draft, and being assigned positions in Vietnam at least partly because they were male. However, participants deny a negative impact, and though a few experienced PTSD, most identified their war experience as a value to professional advancement. As demonstrated in the findings of this study, this group appear to be a well-adjusted successful cohort with little negative long-term impact that they associate with their time in Vietnam, though perhaps a selective sample. Various themes emerged across interviews, notably, resilience following repeated trauma, empathy for others, downplaying the significance of their individual contributions, and pride in their involvement in wartime nursing. Discussion: This study represents the first identified systematic study utilizing male nurses in the US military who served in the Vietnam Conflict as the study population. Given the impact the experience of providing nursing care in a combat area has been shown to have on individuals, expanding the knowledge to include this cohort increases our understanding of this phenomena. Findings of this study: 1) represent the lived experiences of a select sample of male ANC nurses who served in the Vietnam Conflict and the consequences of their service; 2) provide information useful in the selection, training, and aftercare of individuals who provide nursing care under combat conditions; 3) provide insight into the long term effects of providing conflict nursing care; and 4) generate hypotheses for further studies. There are clearly some identifiable differences in the experiences of male nurses who served in Vietnam when compared to their female colleagues. These include differences in access to basic nursing education, the threat of the draft, and being assigned positions in Vietnam at least partly because they were male. However, in their interpretation of their experiences, these factors appear to have had limited negative impact on this cohort of male ANC officers. Their self described success in navigating extreme emotional situations that were physically and professionally challenging and largely viewing them as an opportunity for growth illustrates the resilience discernible throughout the interviews. Study participants emerged, largely, as highly functioning individuals. This characteristic is illustrated, in part, by their significant career success. As demonstrated in the findings of this study, participants describe themselves as a well adjusted and successful cohort with some negative impact that they associate with their time in Vietnam. Future studies of this population would likely expand these findings by utilizing more inclusive sampling methodology. Given the complete lack of preparation study participants received when transitioning from Vietnam back to the United States, future studies regarding the long term efficacy of transitioning programs afforded returning nurses in current conflicts would be beneficial.

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