The Nursing profession and the Stereotypes

The healthcare field is one of the least growing industry in the United States with an array of fields.(Understatement) Over the years, females have worked their way up to become doctors, pharmacists and physical therapists thereby bridging the gap between the number of females and males in these formerly male dominated professions. When it comes to Nursing, there is still that great gap between males and females like the Persian army versus the 300 Spartan soldiers in the movie 300. Female nurses occupy the profession like bees surround a hive (simile). Why is the nursing profession lagging behind in this?

Firstly, the perception of the nursing role as one befitting of a female has contributed to this. In the 60’s and 70’s, Nursing was viewed as a traditionally female profession because of the nurturing role of a nurse. I remember the day I met a pharmacist who I looked up to as a role model. As at that time, so confused was I (inverted word order) about the career to go into that I almost committed suicide (hyperbole). I knew I wanted to be in the health care field but I was not sure of what health care field into. “Why did you become a pharmacist?” I asked and he replied I wanted to be a Nurse Practitioner but did not like being called a Nurse. Nursing is for women, he said. I looked at him in dismay as he walked away from me. If only ego could build a house, he would probably have a sky scrapper. Do all men think this way? No I do not think so but this kind of perception has definitely affected the nursing profession

Another powerful group of people who wield their power with polite but strong statements are our valued patients. How do they contribute to female dominated nursing? Some patients who have gender preferences are very quick to voice out their feelings and demand for a female nurse rather than a male nurse. Some female patients do not want male nurses to catherize them or perform even some nursing skills even when they are aware that these male nurses are equally well trained as their counterparts. So what does gender have to do with it?This sounds like the song..what does love have to do with it?..well,to find out, you would have to be placed in their shoes to see how they feel. Imagine that you have just had a baby and a male nurse is assigned to you for postpartum care. Our minds begin racing and asking the very question “What can he possibly know about breastfeeding or how I feel”. For these women, it is not about your macho nursing skills but how well you can identify with their need and be empathetic towards them.

Over the years, Nursing has been filled with women. Is this as a result of a woman being seen as a nurturer or the patients’ preference for a woman over a man. Like all other professions, it is valuable that there is a right mix of both genders in the profession.