The impact of gender perceptions and professional values on women’s careers in nursing

Abstract

Within nursing, there appears to be two enduring sets of assumptions: firstly, that woman with children should prioritise the care of children; and secondly, that nursing standards require nurses to put their profession above other priorities. Commitment is linked to full-time working which contrasts sharply with the reality for many women with children who need to work part-time and are not able to change or extend working hours.This qualitative research involved the use of 32 in-depth interviews with thirty-two female registered nurses with children and without children. In a female dominated profession, we find the profession resisting attempts to make the profession more accessible to women with young children. The career progression of women with children is inhibited and this is driven in part by a determination to maintain ‘traditional’ employment practices.It develops Heilman's argument that gender perceptions, by both males and females can be biased against women and these produce gender inequalities in employment. These findings are relevant across many areas of employment and they are significant in relation to broadening the debate around equal opportunities for women.