A NURSE IS A NURSE: Nursing is not just a ‘Female Profession’

Females always faced the gender inequality, especially in the nursing profession. Despite the advancement in healthcare, nursing is still perceived as a field which is less prestigious and thus requires less training and education. There is a negative stigma that nursing is a female’s profession as nurturing is thought to be a trait of female gender and men are not viewed as nurturing. Another trait considered for this gender biases is the caregiver mentality which is only in females as males are task oriented and are not that emotional which is required in this profession.

Basically, nursing was considered to be a male-dominated low paid profession but after 1500 it became a female-dominated profession and then never considered to be favorable for males.

Though efforts are given to promote gender equality in workplaces the number of men in nursing is low. Following statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the increment of male nurses and their pay in this profession:-

• Out of 3.2 million nurses, only 330,000 are men

• Over the past 40 years, the number of men working as RNs has increased from 2.7 to 9.6% of all employed RNs

• The number of male LVNs has increased from 3.9% from 1970 to 8.1% in 2011

• 41% of nurse anesthetists are male

• The average wage for male nurses in 2011 was $60,700 a year

• Male nurses earn almost 10% more than their female counterparts, which helps raise wages for both genders

Healthcare is trying to provide equal opportunity for both genders as the demand for nurses is rising. Thus more opportunities will be available for male nurses. According to a new study, male nurses earn more than female nurses by an average of $5,148 after controlling for other factors like education and type of job.

Thus, we can say that nursing will remain a predominately female profession until it will show itself as a profession that provides high-quality patient-specific care regardless of the sex of the nurse. The education must be provided to the public and the stereotyping and gender bias experienced by male nurses needs to be minimized. It takes time to change the mentality of a culture requires time and due respect for those who put themselves second. But, the gender will disappear when you will see a nurse in action giving you excellent care.

Remove the Notion: Nurses Are Second To Doctors

What comes to your mind whenever you hear about word ‘nurse’?

 A person who are assistants and rely on doctors for their instructions. This is a negative perception as many of the patients see nurses working as robots for doctors but reality is that nurses have their own independent roles. Like doctors, they have also served years of health education, and passed the boards to practice in this profession so they are also professionals.

Many people also think that they are their servants. Many of the patients even use their call bell to get them to change the television channel, pour water or recline their beds- all the tasks that they could have done on their own. Some patients are unrealistic about what a nurse’s role actually is. Still, nurses are very resilient when they deal with such patients. They don’t realize that nurses make a difference in the lives of patients each and every day. Nurses affect the lives of people on daily basis. They are the eyes and ears when the Physician is not present. They also play a major role in the patient care. They are first line who meets the patients, comforts them, their family, and educates the patients about next steps to better health and recovery. Patient’s condition becomes better when they get a nurse for whole day that can listen their complaints, treat them with respect, and honour their dignity. Nurses touch the heart of the patients as they make them feel safe and “more like a human”. Nurses have the ability to change patients’ mood especially when they are going through trauma.

Nurses not only touch the heart of patients but also the heart of co-workers and the families of patients. It is said that nurses are doctor’s assistants but it is the gesture of nurses that make them different from doctors especially when it comes to deal with the patients’ family:-

·      Getting them a chair so they can sit next to their loved one,

·      Offering to get the weary spouse a cup of coffee or a cup of water

·      Encouraging them to hold the patient’s hand while they’re sleeping

It is very difficult for a nurse to help multiple patients and multiple families but still they manage everything so well. Thus, nurses must be appreciated, respected for the job they do and are just not assistants of doctors!

Have any Nurse received a Nobel Prize in medicine or healthcare till now?

Nursing is a profession which is hard to define but it’s something where both heart and head is used. Though, Nobel prizes are given in the field of science, psychology, medicine and to those who have done something in the welfare of society. Yet, no nurse has won a Nobel Prize. How sad it is that nursing leaders are not recognized or appreciated.

 Just because of nursing researchers and innovators only, the bedside nurses are able to provide proper and improved care to the patients. Nurses are the one who bought a change in the world by improving community health and increasing breast-feeding among critically ill new-borns. Nurses have always been in health research and breast-feeding among critically ill new-borns. They have improved the management of life-threatening pain and saved countless lives through innovations.

For instance, Florence Nightingale’s statistical analysis, sanitary reforms and structural change transformed the operation of hospitals, military health care and public health systems worldwide.Even, Mary Breckinridge established Frontier Nursing Service in Kentucky that saved the lives of numerous mothers and children. It also served as a global model for rural health care delivery.

In today’s era, nurses like Susie Kim and Elizabeth Ngugi are doing exordinary work in healthcare. Susie Kim developed new psychiatric treatments and cost-effective mental health centres for the developing world while Elizabeth Ngugi saved number of lives by changing how AIDS care is delivered and studied in ostracized communities.

Thus, nurses are integral part of our life. Their efforts and works both need recognition. It’s our duty to care that nurses must win international prizes. As nurses’ profession is not getting valued so it is leading to migration of nurses from the neediest countries and also facing shortage of nurses. Hence, if nurses are recognized through a Nobel Prize then it would not only strengthen the nursing profession but also help to resolve the world's critical nursing shortage.

Nurses must be given same respect as given to doctors!

Can anyone think once that when they had been cared by a nurse last time? They are the one with whom you interact with when getting medical care. The huge difference between a nurse and physician is that physicians only diagnose and treat illnesses and diseases, but nurses give holistic care to the patient i.e. they care for the mind, body, and spirit of the patient They are vital to the health care system because they work with physicians and other professionals to treat patients.

Thus, five reasons justifying that why we should all give nurses the same respect we give to doctors:-

1)  Nurses Work Long Hours, Just Like Doctors:-  Doctors are not the only ones in the healthcare industry logging back-breaking work hours and having gruelling shifts but it’s the nurses as well who are on their feet almost the whole shift and see some pretty scary or sad things. They work so hard and do so in long twelve-hour shifts. They are on their feet almost the whole shift and see some pretty scary or sad things.

2)   Nurses See Way More Patients Each Day Than Doctors Do:- Now, its natural that when nurses work for long hours then they see more patients than the doctors they work with. Nurse practitioners also have to see at least 36 patients in a 12-hour shift which means almost three times the amount of patients that a physician might see in their day.

3)    Nurses Make A Huge Impact On Patient Health:- It has been found through many studies that its not the whole sole skill of the doctor who treats them but positive health outcomes for patients are closely linked to the intervention of nurses. According to Canadian study in 2008(google sources) was conducted in 75 hospitals for 30days then it was found that the mortality rate dropped between four and 10% when the hospitals had more nurses on the floor.

4)  Nurses Make Fewer Mistakes Than Doctors:- It has been found statistically that  nurses make fewer mistakes than doctors do while caring for their patients.

5) Nurses Are Highly Educated:-  Registered nurses only need associate's degree to pass the National Council Licensure exam.Nurse practitioners requires more education and clinical experience than registered nurses or licensed practical nurses.

Hence, I want to say that nurses are not "servants” to do everything that a patient can do on his own. Nurses are our guide to us during our patient experience, heal us in different aspects, and becomes our supporter so as to give us the best care possible. Hence, they surely deserve respect and recognition too!

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