Abstract: Objective To explore the psychological and behavioral process and real-life experience in role play during clinical practice of male nursing students from TCM colleges and universities, and to provide targeted support for male nursing students. Methods With purposive sampling, fourteen male nursing students who had completed clinical practice were selected for interviews from September 10 to September 18, 2022, and the data were extracted and analyzed using the Colaizzi 7-step analysis method. Results There were two major themes and six sub-themes: negative behavioral experience (negative emotion from deviating from social role expectations, confused positioning due to insufficient understanding of the role, ambivalence from diversified role imbalance, and poor outcome of role practice due to multiple concerns), and positive behavioral experience (inner recognition of the potential for future development of male nurses, gratitude, optimism, role models to cope with role imbalance). Conclusion To construct a role play training program through collaborating with medical schools and to create an atmosphere of ideological and political education and training for male nurses from TCM colleges and universities should be considered so as to strengthen positive behavioral experience and improve negative behavioral experience with psychological capital.

Key words: TCM colleges and universities, male nursing student, clinical practice, role play, role imbalance, qualitative research