Are nurses blue or white collar workers?

[PetsToPeople]

Grey-collar refers to the balance of employed people not classified as white- or blue collar. Although grey-collar is sometimes used to describe those who work beyond the age of retirement, it is also used to refer to occupations that incorporate some of the elements of both blue- and white-collar, or are completely different from both categories.

Examples of grey collar industries:

• farming, fishing, forestry, and other forms of agribusiness
• health care, aged care, child care, and the personal service sector
• protective services and security
• food preparation and the catering industry
• high-tech technicians
• skilled trades, technicians, etc.
• typists, stenographers

Grey-collar workers often have associate degrees from a community college in a particular field. They are unlike blue-collar workers in that blue-collar workers can often be trained on the job within several weeks whereas grey-collar workers already have a specific skill set.

[grownuprosie]

Merriam-Webster says nurses are blue collar. However, I think people have different things they believe these terms mean which would explain the disagreement you had. How did they define the terms?

Definition of blue-collar

: of, relating to, or constituting the class of wage earners whose duties call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing-compare white-collar

Definition of white-collar

: of, relating to, or constituting the class of salaried employees whose duties do not call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing-compare blue-collar

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

Nurses are blue collar paraprofessionals. White collar = professionals.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

half & half

[RNperdiem, RN]

The old definitions of blue and white collar belong to another era and don't describe the modern workforce very well.

You could ask if nurses tend to be middle class or working class people.

I have worked with nurses from working class backgrounds who were the first in their families to get a college education. I work with middle class people and the occasional nurse married to a high earner who works to afford "extras". The class spectrum you see depends on the demographics of where you live. I live in an upscale area where most nurses are middle class.

You could ask if nursing is a job or a career.

I work with "job" nurses who work their 12 hours and see nursing as a job. There are also "career" nurses who leave for anesthesia school or go on for their masters or NP, get CCRN certified, and serve on the hospital committies.

[merlee]

Nurses are "pink" collar - - a workforce that is mainly female. Blue collar is mainly factory workers, delivery men, postal workers, police and firefighters.

At the 'entry' level we have little say about our working conditions - - days/shifts/work area/number of patients. But there is the ability to move up in the workforce.

[knighton201]

I'd have to say nursing would be a "hybrid" of the two, our work at the nurses station documenting care, making care plans, assessment, would seem more white collar I would think, however when called upon to help with a code "brown" i would think that falls back under the blue collar category

[Asystole RN]

A "nurse" is a very broad term that encompasses an extremely large occupational pool. Any hands on nursing such as bedside nursing, school nursing, and the like is considered blue collar. Nursing that deals in the trade of ideas can be considered white collar such as managers, researchers, and the like.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

This color code was developed long ago when nurses were truly blue. Now the profession of nursing has advanced I would say we are more white then blue. Blue literally referring to the blue denim worn by the workers and white referring to the white shirts worn with suits. Lab coats are white and many nurses are paid with a salary. Also the education level is higher now for nurses and the white collar worker is traditionally considered more educated.

With BSN RNs, APNs and nurses with doctorates I can't see how the nurses profession can be viewed as blue anymore. I myself have been salaried for half my career and have ended up in administative positons.

I believe whether one believes the nursing profession is white or blue will be determined on that individuals current position in nursing and their education level. I also like the grey definiton but why doesn't nursing create it's own color...eggplant is a vibrant color; mahogany...reds are nice.

Advance, go forth, change the status quo

[Gold_SJ]

Well... it has to be White Collar for me.

Through university I had to sit through our lecturers going on and on.... 'You are a PROFESSIONAL!' ....'evidence-based practice', 'responsibility', 'ethics', 'management...delegation...etc. I'm sure you get the idea.

And after that many years of being drilled over how we are no longer considered trained/trade based learners anymore, but have shifted gradually into taking on more responsibility and being critical thinkers (All of us, original hospital trained and those leaving the schools).

That to me places our profession now in the White collar category, we're stuck with so many expectations. We have to know why we do all the things we do and can no longer follow the miltary style or hierachal system that once was the core of the nursing decision process.

If I can be sued/deregistered/told off for not researching everything I'm giving, doing, care and am 'expected' to keep up with latest journals and research, I think as a profession we've crossed the line into white collar territory. Although in the past I do believe we were a blue collar occupation and would be proud whether I was a white or blue as long as I'm still a nurse.

However we're trying to place our role in one side or the other and I think the job has changed and we've left the realm of blue collar for a defination. Nursing has changed and with all the heaped expectations, I think we've also transformed (in my opinion) to white collar workers.

[Lynx25, LPN]

All of my collars are V-neck..

I think we are more blue-collar than anything. When I think of white collar, I think of office jobs.

[Hygiene Queen]

No shame in blue collar.

When I hear that term, I think "hard work" and I'm proud of that.