Gender and discipline by BON

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.

I am really hoping for this post not to go downhill from the get go. Occasionally, I will read the disciplinary actions taken by various states' Boards of Nursing. Actually, it is very informative. One thing has made me curious for years

I have noted for some time that men are the subjects of disciplinary actions quite frequently--far beyond their numerical representation in the nursing population. Several things have crossed my mind:

I could be wrong (I don't like that idea)

I could be right

If I 'm right what are the possible explanations?

Gender bias?

Men working more often in EDs and ICUs (sicker patients)?

Men more likely to be ratted out by peers and management?

Men more likely to exceed their scope of practice?

Are BON members discriminating against men?

This would be an interesting study I think. Has anyone else noticed that men seem to have a higher rate of BON actions?

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

This would be a very interesting study. I would also wonder about the actual disciplinary actions received for men vs women. In my experience male nurses, who I love for the most part, are either worshiped or marginalized by their female peers and management depending on the units culture. I haven't seen much in between just anecdotally of course.

Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.
This would be a very interesting study. I would also wonder about the actual disciplinary actions received for men vs women. In my experience male nurses, who I love for the most part, are either worshiped or marginalized by their female peers and management depending on the units culture. I haven't seen much in between just anecdotally of course.

Yes, I am genuinely intrigued by this. I can say that at my facility men are often nurse managers; proportionately more than the percent of men who are nurses on the floors. When I look at the BON disciplinary actions it seems that drug diversion is the number one offending action for both sexes.

So I don't have a good explanation for the high numbers of men being disciplined. If I were in graduate school, that would be a great research project.

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