Do 'goodlooking' nurses earn better salaries?

[Tony35NYC]

I found this article on yahoo today. It says that goodlooking people are better paid than average-looking and below average-looking people :uhoh21:.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050407/ap_on_bi_ge/looks_and_pay

Seems pretty silly to me, but considering the superficial society we live in these days, maybe not. I read a similar article about a year ago, and I was wondering if this happens in healthcare, too. I was surprised to read that studies were actually done to prove that below-average looking people earn 9% less than average-looking people. Also, that height matters more among men and weight matters more among women since the studies show that taller men are preferred, and that obese women make about 17% less than women of average weight. I'm wondering how they put these studies together. I can't imagine that any employer would openly admit to doing this.

Any opinions?

[boulergirl, CNA]

Being pretty is NOT all it's cracked up to be.

I used to be jealous of my younger sister because of her good looks and ability to attract every guy at school. I still cringe when Mom tells people she looks like a Barbie doll--what am I, Medusa? :sofahider

Anyway, she got sick of the attention and married as soon as it could be done legally. She's still happily married, but wishes she'd waited a few years.

[nurseyNJNYC]

Much of the way I have been able to navigate my life and previous jobs depended on my looks, and I've always been a firm believer that looks can heavily influence your attempt in acquiring and accessing things... mainly because it works for me. Any place I walked into, whether it was a store, a bar, a courtroom, a job interview... I got it, based on looks and knowing how to manipulate it to my advantage; society is pretty trippy... (not trying to be conceited... all made up, i can be a total vixen, but im an au naturale hippie at heart)

I can honestly say that I was hoping that good looks would hold some sort of edge in the nursing field, although I did not really expect much. Once I started clinicals, I quickly learned that looks don't matter very much at all. In a sense it was a bit of a relief to be able to be taken seriously based on skill and intelligence.

My mother is also a nurse... and during her day, she was pretty damn hot! Only thing it got her was a lawsuit against a Doc who was sexually harassing her in patients' rooms... he lost the suit... an his license... damn shame...

[MikeyBSN]

i've read many studies in different areas that good-looking people make more money and advance faster. i don't think nursing is immune. i also got the impression that, most of the time, it's not even an intentional thing. it's more like some sort of subconscious affect.

[LydiaNN]

Much of the way I have been able to navigate my life and previous jobs depended on my looks, and I've always been a firm believer that looks can heavily influence your attempt in acquiring and accessing things... mainly because it works for me. Any place I walked into, whether it was a store, a bar, a courtroom, a job interview... I got it, based on looks and knowing how to manipulate it to my advantage; society is pretty trippy... (not trying to be conceited... all made up, i can be a total vixen, but im an au naturale hippie at heart)

I can honestly say that I was hoping that good looks would hold some sort of edge in the nursing field, although I did not really expect much. Once I started clinicals, I quickly learned that looks don't matter very much at all. In a sense it was a bit of a relief to be able to be taken seriously based on skill and intelligence.

My mother is also a nurse... and during her day, she was pretty damn hot! Only thing it got her was a lawsuit against a Doc who was sexually harassing her in patients' rooms... he lost the suit... an his license... damn shame...

Don't a lot of the advantages of which you speak have as much to do with self confidence as with looks, though? My previous joke aside, my looks fall squarely in the average category, but I've never felt that pretty people held an advantage over me.

[nurseyNJNYC]

Don't a lot of the advantages of which you speak have as much to do with self confidence as with looks, though? My previous joke aside, my looks fall squarely in the average category, but I've never felt that pretty people held an advantage over me.

Confidence, yes... but getting the advantages also depends on the role you would be required to play... like the cute, young, innocent girl trying to get off of traffic fines or speeding tickets; the attractive intellectual type trying to land a certain job requiring brains; the pretty flirty chick trying to get a discount when making a purchase; blah blah... the list goes on... people are strange in that way, being social creatures... i was also a psych major before i got into nursing, so i did alot of people/behavioral/social studies...

and i've tried it the other way too... leaving the house with no make up, sweats, and just being my true socially indifferent self... people DEFINITELY treat you differently... i think that attractiveness just stirs up the attention factor...

[Haunted]

My best friend is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life, funny, smart and kind. She also has the lowest self esteem, suffers from social anxiety and has seasonable bouts with depression.

When I first met her, I was the flat chested, hook nosed "funny side kick" friend, I was the RHODA !!! Now, 12 years later and several cosmetic procedures into the frey (all for me Thank you very much) I can hold a candle to her in every regard. She is still beautiful, always will be and now when we go out, I am spoken to and a presence in the environment.

I have noticed that patients, MD's and other support staff on the unit will pay attention to me with issues I bring up, however, the "Rhoda" funny side kick personality may be the one they are responding to, not the lush lips, glossy hair, sleek nose and 34 B boobs carefully, artfully concealed under those fabulous scrub tops!

Interesting thread that reveals a lot about how we feel about ourselves, and each other, based on the visual.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I can see how advancing in a profession might hinge on looks or perceived looks but that may have more to do with a healthy self-confidence than a pretty face.

BUT, when you hire staff nurses, the starting pay and pay pyramid is exactly the same whether someone is cute or not.

So, I don't think cuter nurses actually get paid more.

steph

[jeepgirl, LPN, NP]

has anyone ever noticed that drug / equipment reps are very "pretty."

i have! HUM, I WONDER WHY???

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Not really, i haven't noticed that.

They dress well, but i would not say that they all are "pretty". They look professional by the way they dress and act.