From the early days of medicine, women have been relegated to caring for their family, friends, and communities. The nursing profession fits neatly into this socially constructed gender role, driven further by other social, cultural, and economic factors that have resulted in, even to this day, an 87.4% chance nurses in the healthcare industry will be female.
But what exactly are these factors that contribute to a female-led nursing profession? And despite this over-representation, why do men still dominate leadership roles? Read on to find out about the evolution of nursing as a female-dominated field and how it has impacted modern nursing.
Economic factors
The first hospitals in the US were constructed during the 1700s, and nurses – back then referred to as stewards – were predominately male. In 1861 when the Civil War started and men were conscripted, the need for more nursing professionals grew. Despite a social prejudice that women were ‘weak’ or too uneducated, they began volunteering in large numbers to serve as nurses during the war – a key moment that shaped the modern nursing of today.
The duties of Civil War nurses extended beyond simply caring for injured patients. They also assisted soldiers in writing letters home, helped them through battlefield trauma, helped injured servicemen adapt to physical changes to their bodies, and comforted the sick and dying. The commitment and care women put in during this time led to a shift in society’s acceptance of women’s place in the workforce.
In a twist, men were completely shut out of nursing when the United States Army Corps reorganized their division in 19o1 and banned men from the profession. This ban remained in place until 1955, and many nursing schools continued to refuse admission to men until 1981 when a court order forced them to accept male students.
Cultural and social factors
Florence Nightingale is considered the founder of modern nursing, characterized by her focus on patient needs, cleanliness, and belief in building a trusting relationship with patients. Since the introduction of this style, nursing has generally been portrayed as a feminine occupation due to the stereotypically female traits required to execute it – humbleness, gentleness, compassion, and a subordinate nature.
Empathy is also an important requirement of nursing, and society often views women as being more empathetic and better communicators than men. While there is little proof of this, the misconception that nursing comes more naturally to women over men due to their biological and reproductive roles still runs rampant. With little room for what society considers ‘masculine’ traits, pressure is placed on any males considering nursing.
In more modern times, nursing has become a sought-after profession as it allows women to secure a well-paying job with flexible hours – very conducive to raising a family while working, something that still is overwhelmingly considered a woman’s responsibility. The ability to study courses remotely such as an online PhD in Nursing meant being at home with young children while studying could also be done. This type of balance is not always possible with other professions, leading to more women considering it as a career path.
Leadership in nursing
While women have and continue to dominate the field of nursing, there is significant underrepresentation within healthcare leadership teams, likely impacting their ability to contribute to policy decisions that may affect women’s health.
According to more than 250 healthcare organizations, just over 15% of CEOs for leading medium-sized health systems and insurance groups were women. They also held the board of director chairperson role at only 17.5% of health systems, and 21.3% of health insurance groups.
The future of nursing
In a society where women traditionally occupy nursing positions and men occupy directorial and executive positions, the need for change is clear. Challenging the norms and stereotypes must be done to break down barriers for men to enter the nursing profession, and so too must they be challenged for women to enter leadership positions in nursing.
Reshaping this narrative will take time and effort, and a willingness from both males and females to accept the changing social and cultural expectations that come alongside gender. Ultimately though, it will pave the way for a new era of the nursing profession and add to its already rich and exciting history.
