Social Class and Nursing

Published

  1. Your social class?

    • 4
      Lower
    • 29
      Lower Middle
    • 70
      Midde
    • 50
      Upper middle
    • 4
      Upper

157 members have participated

This is not a question about ECONOMIC class/how much you make. I've noticed a fair number of nurses who make the same amount of money are varied in their social class. This isn't a value judgment, but it is visible in the food nurses eat, clothing choices, recreation, and behavior. (My prepatory school educated, Latin and Greek speaking, fair trade, organic eating husband readily points out my lower socioeconomic habits, which I enjoy and am unlikely to change.)

Does social class impact where you work? I've heard nurses complain you won't survive at the major hospital here if you're not a Stepford wife. I've also looked at facilities and thought I wouldn't fit into the predominant culture.

Reading all of the responses with different perspectives, I'm reminded of my former mother in law.

She was raised in a working class family in the mid west, took a bookkeeping class right out of HS and married a blue collar husband. They worked their tails off, lived frugally, raised 3 kids who went on to have their same work ethic, saved money and invested in housing rentals which gave them a stable income with ability to save, in large part due to their spending habits more than theor annual net income. When I met them, they had a nice if not exorbitant home and enjoyed a membership at the local golf club and other social groups in our area of California.

Going by a commonly shared definition here, she would be lower middle class due to her upbringing, lack of college education, modest articulation, husband's standing and financially comfortable due only with having living within their means.

But if you met her and observed her simple but exemplary behavior and etiquette often common in women of her generation, her spotless home, personal upkeep, the people in her social circles etc there is no way anyone would call her lower middle class.

Now, if it's not because of a substantial income and it's certainly not her education or possession of a sophisticated intellect then I'm going to have to go with her interactions with others and behaviors in general that determine her social class, which is indisputably solid middle class.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

Idk it's a totally blue collar until you rise to administration or possibly advanced practice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Idk it's a totally blue collar until you rise to administration or possibly advanced practice.

Says the advanced practice nurse, lol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Wow! I want to know what was on that test?

Questions like: Would you describe yourself as a beaver or an eagle? No one knows which is the correct answer?!!?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.
Questions like: Would you describe yourself as a beaver or an eagle? No one knows which is the correct answer?!!?

I would be a beaver because of my broad, flat tail.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I grew up poor actually in the white trash group as it was said. Married young, had a child and worked in factories until I finally decided to go to Nursing School. Went to school and due to graduate in 3 months when I was in a bad car wreck. Skull fracture, coma which required a lot of recovery time. Started over in Nursing School again a few years later working 2 jobs and going to school. I make a good salary, have gained a lot of experience by taking chances to further my education and training. That has allowed me to obtain a higher pay as being the only Nurse educated, certified and trained in certain areas. I have been impressed by the President of a Major Hospital who choose to wait his turn to be seen and lost respect for a well respected Physician who made the statement the important people (by status and name) should not have to wait to be seen. Money or class does not make the person. I do not care about social class or status. You treat all people the same. We never know a persons situation at any given time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Latin isn't "spoken" and I'm pretty sure that's taught in low socioeconomic circles as well.

Yes I find the question insulting and yes I think you sound pretentious as heck in the way you have formed it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, Pulmonary, Travel, Homecare, Psych..

(Sigh)

I'm going to come off sounding like a precious snowflake but here goes:

I don't fit into any specific class really.

I live in a very small, low rent one bedroom apartment. I drive a tiny putt putt gas economy car. I dress fair to middle of the road, certainly don't have the shoe collection most of my friends have. When I eat out, it's a local low cost diner, and maybe twice a year I get wild and go to AppleBee's. Other than HBO, I have very few luxury items in my monthly bills.

On the other hand, I've saved for retirement well beyond the level my friends with the shoes have. For the first five years of my career, I was committing over 10% to retirement. I don't do that much anymore, but I still put well more than my company matches in. I also have a savings/emergency account. It is about 1.5 times my usual yearly intake.

So, I honestly don't know where I land. If you see me on the street and how I live, you'd say lower middle class. If you were aware of how I've put myself in a position of security (I can vote with my feet and leave a bad situation job wise any time I please) you'd think otherwise.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Room Nursing.

It's how you were raised and where you come from. If you've saved all your pennies and thrift shopped your entire life due to being from a poorer background chances are you will retain these habits even in a career that can afford more.

Honestly it just depends on how each person chooses to spend their money and their definition of enjoying life. I personally enjoy eating higher quality of food as that's what I enjoy. I enjoy having nicer things that last longer than the cheaper made alternative. I don't flaunt it though and I would never judge someone else for having different priorities or ideals about how to live.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Idk it's a totally blue collar until you rise to administration or possibly advanced practice.

I looked up the categories because blue collar sounds way off (blue is generally manual labor/craftsmen type work), but I can also see the blurred lines regarding white collar as well. Turns out there's such a thing as "pink collar" that nursing falls into that classifies service industry jobs. White collar would probably be management or advanced practice as you suggest.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

I am a tech and many of the nurses and fellow techs I work with are middle class while I am lower-middle class. It is awkward to me sometimes when people talk about the different activities they do, vacations they go on, and areas they live in. I have nothing to contribute because I basically just go to school and stay at home and I live in a somewhat bad neighborhood :) I do feel left out sometimes but I hope to be in the middle class once I actually become a nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am a tech and many of the nurses and fellow techs I work with are middle class while I am lower-middle class. It is awkward to me sometimes when people talk about the different activities they do, vacations they go on, and areas they live in. I have nothing to contribute because I basically just go to school and stay at home and I live in a somewhat bad neighborhood :) I do feel left out sometimes but I hope to be in the middle class once I actually become a nurse.

That's exactly where I was in life when I was your age. I know exactly what you mean about those conversations. I'll never forget how horrified my well-heeled former mother-in-law was that I had never been to Disney. How dare my parents deprive me! It was simply beyond her comprehension that not everyone is blessed with enough money to throw at things beyond basic necessities... if even that.

I also hated when people asked me where I lived. The looks I'd get! One of my friends in grade school had her mother pick me up at my house. I'll never forget the mother complaining how scary it was and then saying, "Ew, I feel sorry for you that you have to live here!" I hated her for that! :madface: Apparently, having a little money doesn't automatically mean you have class and tact!

Your life will improve once you are a nurse. Mine did. Good luck to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion