What do you think of this statement?

[delirium]

This statement was made by my professor during class yesterday, so I pose this question to all nursing students, as well as anyone else who'd like to participate.

I am interested in hearing your responses and will post mine later in the thread.

"We need to bring more males into the nursing profession so we will finally have the political power to achieve more favorable working conditions."

Any thoughts? Agree/disagree?

[colleen10]

I don't feel and don't think that other posters feel that women are helpless and cannot advance their professions just because we are women. History has taught us that women are quite capable and as capable as a man. Look at the women's sufferage (sp?) movement, the sexual revolution of the '70's, Sally Ride, etc.

Is it true that women are viewed and treated differently in the work place? yes. Despite the advances that women have made there are still glass ceilings and women still make less per dollar than their male counterparts.

Can women advance female dominated professions? yes, but I wouldn't doubt that it would be easier and happen faster if it was a male dominated profession. I don't think it is unfair to say that if it was a male dominated profession it would get more attention more quickly.

Like most events throughout history women can make significant change but it seems to me that they have to work a whole heck of a lot harder for it. JMHO.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I am afraid it is true. I hate it and believe me I write letters to my officals almost weekly. Womens professions are not taken seriously overall.

renerian:(

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Been around the block enough to know it has some merit whether I piss people off or not. LIke I said I DON'T LIKE IT BUT IT IS TRUE TO SOME EXTENT.

RENERIAN

[Glad2behere]

Ladies, I think it's true. I empathize with you, but denying it is futile. Men have a long lead on women in task oriented behaviors, and point A to point B thought processes. Men have had to incorporate them to filter out anything that inteferes with getting from point A to point B, and knowing what the impact of point B really is. We're the heavy lifters...it's what we are. And overall I think we'll be glad to do it.

[Dr. Kate, BSN, RN]

Just another one of those ugly truths about nursing.

The really crummy thing is to think that ole Florence, that nice Victorian lady, did so much is a vastly more male dominated society than ours.

[Jennerizer, ASN, RN]

My professor just said something similar like that today. She was referring more to how nursing is still not accepted as an independent profession. That people still assume we are simply doctor's assistants & nothing more. She felt if more men were in the profession, it might be looked at differently.

She also referred it to the fact that although nursing is the largest profession in the United States----that nurses tend to fight with one another rather than stick together & try to make things better. I mean we see it on here where they say nurses eat their young instead of helping them learn. Rather than working together to change the way nursing is, at the current time, they prefer to fight it out among each other instead of forming a united front. She thinks bringing more men into the profession will help (hopefully) realign that type of behavior.

[renerian, BSN, RN]

PHew glad I am not alone on this..................I was preparing to be flamed...............LOL.

renerian

[Love-A-Nurse]

interesting, to say the least.

if it is true, my quess is men tend to pull together more and stay with said situation whereas we women try to out do each other and hinder as a whole.

i don't think men will pass the women in this profession but the strong voice of a man may lead nursing to another level.

sure would be said to omit progress and unity unless the male comes along and be in the forefront of a connection that could happen now.

[Love-A-Nurse]

rebecca, it is good to see you.

[TheBrainMusher]

so with the whole "old eating young" thing, could the cattiness come from the fact that women are more catty overall? I'm sure that plays into a fact. Its sad ... I would think everyone would want to advance as a whole, not by individual. One can be optimistic! :)

[nursbee04]

Instantly flamed on this one, but after I took a moment, it is sadly true. Women can make change, it is just WAY harder to get people to take us seriously. I wish that the voices of the strong women already in this profession would accomplish this, and it is very disheartening to think that it has take the voice of a man to get heard.

[RN always, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by 2banurse

What makes you think delirium's professor was a male? No he or she was mentioned.

Kris

sorry kris, I guess it came across the wrong way but I didn't even think about it when I wrote it. I surely didn't mean to imply that it was a male. Good thread though, lots of discussion.