Work
Nurses undervalued because they are mostly women: study
Nursing as a profession has been undervalued in both status and pay due to its highly feminised workforce, a recent study by researchers at the Oxford Brookes University has found.
The study, commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has found that the “old fashioned view that caring for others is a feminine characteristic” has contributed to the suppression of nurses’ wages and working conditions.
Dr Anne Laure Humbert, one of the report’s authors, said that, “despite the growing complexity and technical nature of the work, as well as the difficult emotional labour it entails… [the profession continues to be] deskilled and devalued”.
She provides the example of the fact that nurses “routinely take on tasks that have previously been the preserve of doctors,” yet continue to earn less than a third of that of doctors and dentists.
The study also provides a breakdown of the gender pay gap. It shows that, on average, women earn 17% less than men in similar positions. Further, nurses from an ethnic minority background tend to earn 10% less than their white colleagues, taking into account other factors.
I have been a nurse for 50 years ,I never felt undervalued by the people I looked after who were the only ones whose opinion mattered to me.I have had a wonderful career ,it is all about your own mindset.
Trish Rochford RN
I couldn’t agree more. I was an EEN and my son was earning more per hour after he completed his tiling apprenticeship. It’s just so disheartening, to work so hard and encounter so much distress in a work place, most men would run a mile. Also to be made to feel your work has to be perfect and to be on top of every situation, day in and day out, is anxiety producing.
I couldn’t agree more. I was an EEN and my son was earning more per hour after he completed his tiling apprenticeship. It’s just so disheartening, to work so hard and encounter so much distress in a work place, most men would run a mile. Also to be made to feel your work has to be perfect and to be on top of every situation, day in and day out, is anxiety producing.
There are a large number of male nurses. However they gravitate toward management and education where wages and conditions are more favourable.
More male nurses “on the ground” would certainly improve wages and conditions across the industry.
We are seeing a similar trend in medicine where wages and conditions have been eroded for first year hospital interns -a cohort predominantly female.
Hi Dianne,
I would like to think the other issue here is that men being a minority in the field they tend to try and manoeuvre their way into a better position without causing too much drama. Hence that gravitating towards those areas you mention.
Here is something else to note. Research tells us that females, being more caring and nurturing by nature, generally make more concessions at the negotiating table. This contributes to the lower wages for nurses. Why would anyone give you more if you are willing to accept less? They just make sure they put it just above the minimum legal requirements and that’s it.
Re: Trish Rochford. As a nurse who has 50 years experience you have no doubt advocated many times for your to people in your care. Your mindset is to be commended. I think we need to look elsewhere for someone to advocate for justice in the nursing profession. Work as a general rule is compensated for the responsibility of the task undertaken with an appropriate wage. This is how it works in nearly every other industry but not in nursing. I feel very unhappy about this. Every study, report, investigation and Royal Commission into nursing has concluded that Nurses are underpaid for the responsibility of the work performed. Furthermore increases in workload and responsibility without increased staff number further exacerbates the undervaluing and underpayment of nurses so that the profession cannot attract or retain good professional staff putting further stress on the profession. Inertia in this industry is a very strong force to the detriment of the care of patients and our elderly citizens. This is as unjust for them as the staff. We need more people to advocate for the nurses and the people they care for until there is the much needed improvement in value and pay. Will you advocate for such an outcome?
We need to claw back power and position ourselves in such a way that the employer realises the need not to lose us. Push back on the increased pressure for conformity and cut back on availability. Be available through other channels where there is a better pay rate. Scarcity creates value.
I can never imagine any health facility running for an hour without Nurses. Our own leadership is another issue. When someone gets into a position of leadership they seem to suddenly switch camps and start trivialising all the concerns Nurses have. They seem to have suddenly forgotten all the issues they have been grappling with all along. This is compounded by a promotion system which is usually questionable. If someone has been into a position for other reasons other than merit, they are not going to upset the status quo by challenging those who put them there, Ronald Reagan once said “Dance with the one that brung ya.”
One thing I have noticed is that lots of the times Nurses don’t speak up or challenge issues forthwith. You notice that when a person challenges the status quo, their colleagues don’t support that person at the meeting. However they will speak in whispers in corridors to say what you said was right.
When people don’t support each other it gives the powers that be an impression that the person who is complaining is one of the few disgruntled people, otherwise everyone is ok with things as they are. Let us not expect someone to come from somewhere to rescue us. Wonke umuntu udonsela ingubo lapho alele khona. Meaning everyone else is too busy trying to make their situation better. Why would they neglect theirs and invest their energy elsewhere?
Nurses need to think smarter, when caring and advocating for patients, and when negotiating wage increases. Why not consider increasing our conditions. We are the ones caring for the patients, BUT WHO CARES FOR THE NURSES. Nurses need to also remember the union is us. We need to support each other to obtain justice in the nursing profession and value.
I totally agree with this. Nowadays the workload of nurses has increased to doing venepunctures, inserting intravenous cannulas and male catheters to name a few examples but pay remains the same.
Another problem noted is promotion within workplace is discriminated by the shifts that we do. Nurses on night shift are less likely to be promoted to CNS , CNC, CNE, or any management positions because they are not visualised as capable by the management.
Despite the RCN ‘s research evidence and the knowledge being out there for all to see no action is being taken that could show some results. Even during covid we nurses at front line doing overtime and double shifts have not been given any tax concessions at all to indicate that our government cares for first line workers.
I work in a new 15 month old imaging department in a public hospital. The department has doubled in modalities and increased radiographer numbers. We only have one extra full time RN, with another RN position still not filled. RN’s work the weekends. AM & PM – one RN each shift.. The EN is no longer allowed to work by themselves on the weekend. Executive didn’t check that there only 2.5 RN’s employed in the department.
In 2020 (excluding annual leave) I only had nine full weekends off.
As our NUM was based at another hospital, there was no need to create a new manager position. Without consultation we were separated from our former NUM that took effect immediately March 2020. It seems to me the vacant RN position is being used for the interim NUM (based in the department) we have at present. Casuals are used to fill the vacancy’s.
I was told management are looking into budgeting for the RN position now. For a department that was six years in the planning before opening it’s a disgrace.
It disappoints me that those in executive are mainly from the nursing background are not supporting their nurses.
We keep getting told we have to look after ourselves as well. Management making us work weekends because of their short sighted forethoughts and tightening purse strings are not looking after their nurses.
I also have been in nursing for 50 years, mental health nursing. I agree with Andre Van Dyk’s assessment of nursing and the devaluing over the decades of our profession, our work ethic and the fact that without competent nurses where exactly would society BE??
The government, both sides, have fallen down in respect to improving work and pay conditions for nursing staff whilst exponentially increasing the tasks we are required to perform.
They seem happy to provide more funding to the private sector looking to promote an American style (failed) health system whilst the public sector health staff, who have always provided safe and effective care for Australians, have seen wages and conditions eroded and staff numbers remaining at a pre turn of the century numbers despite huge increase in population requiring service. Yes it is predominantly women who keep this system up and running. The rewards for the work we do are certainly the outcomes we know we have had a part in effecting. However the huge turnover of staff along with nurses leaving the profession should have been a heads up to government a long time ago that staff cannot survive on kudos alone. Our wages have decreased in real terms whilst every bill we have to pay from rent, utilities, insurances, professional fees, every cost of living outstrips any pay rise we have EVER received and now NO pay rises or the offer of an annual increase offered for 2020 that would not have even paid for one pair of special shoes I buy each year for work???
I love my job but agree that staff pay, staff numbers are in need of an overhaul especially in these COVID-19 times. JAMIE CNC COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH
Nursing as a whole suffers from low self esteem. We treat each other poorly and allow the profession to be treated poorly including pay.
I have taught across all undergrad health science degrees – when new medical students arrive they are told they are the best – when new nursing students arrive they are told absolutely nothing of the sort.