In this thesis the author discusses the general qualities of a good nurse, what a nurse’s tasks are from the viewpoint of a mental health client undergoing rehabilitation and, more particularly, what sort of expectations clients in mental health rehab may have about male nurses. This thesis also discusses to what extent stereotypical ideas about men are reflected in a male nurse’s professional role. The research results obtained here can turn out to be useful in personnel planning and management and allocation of existing resources to particular tasks and to certain client groups undergoing mental health rehabilitation.

The interviews for this thesis were carried out in a privatelyowned sheltered home for mental health rehabilitation clients. The chief objective of the home is to help their clients reintegrate to society and normal life by supporting them in everyday tasks and chores. The fundamental values adopted by the enterprise are responsibility, expertise, uniqueness and communality.

The frame of reference of this thesis consists of pertinent literature, research and Internet publications. The thesis is a qualitative study. The material for the thesis was collected in the course of thematic interviews. These were carried out in the form of individual interviews on the premises of the above-mentioned rehabilitation home in September 2012 and the interviewees were individuals undergoing mental health rehabilitation. The interview material thus collected was transcribed and contentanalysed. The principal finding of the thesis was the idea of regrouping the tasks of male nurses and the expectations they arouse under three hypernyms: masculine role model and support, men’s work, and men’s physical strength. On the basis of this thesis it is clear that both men and women are needed in mental health rehabilitation. The findings of this thesis also support action plans attributing certain group activities to nurses of one rather than the other of the two sexes so that interaction and support offered by a nurse of the client’s sex can be efficiently utilized as an element of a client’s mental health rehabilitation process.