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Consider how tensions of gender are significant to nursing and nursing practice. Why is it that today, in the 21st century, nurses are fighting what seems to be an uphill battle for more money, and more power? Surely the world’s governments can afford to help out these ‘ministering angels’ who have worked so hard for so long! The reason why this isn’t happening is simple. The vast majority of nurses are female. As Davis said in ‘Gender and the politics of nursing’ (1988), “Sex is as fundamental to our analysis of social order as class or race”. This essay will explore and discuss the functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionalist perspectives of gender inequity, and how it is related to nursing and nursing practice. According to the functionalist perspective, men and women are assigned roles that they have to play out, if society is to function smoothly and successfully (Thio.1997). Men are associated with roles that are dominant and assertive, and may include jobs revolving around politics or economics (Maddock.1999). Women are assigned roles that are emotive, less intellectual and less powerful, such as looking after the children or being a secretary (Maddock.1999). These gender assigned roles have become fixed in society’s subconscious by a process called ‘engenderment’. This is the way that people believe in, and usually never question what type of job they will end up with. As children, we are bought up to play with dolls or toy guns, depending on our gender, so the process begins very early (Vaughan.2001). Nursing is generally considered the role of a female, as most nurses are female (Thio.1997). As such, it is looked upon as being not very hard to do, and is considered a ‘weak’ profession (Maddock.1999).
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