How Does Gender Bias Negatively Impact the Role of Men in Nursing Essay

How Does Gender Bias Negatively Impact the Role of Men in Nursing - Essay Example Gender bias negatively impacts the role of men in nursing by: Not all male nurses believe gender bias has had a negative impact on their career. But, fewer than 6% of the Registered Nurses in the United States today are men (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Considering approximately 49% of the population is male, the 6% figure indicates that bias may be impacting the entry and retention of men in the nursing field. Furthermore, Wilson (2005) in a study of Australian nursing students, found that in a three-year period, the average attrition rate for males in a university-based nursing program was 55.5% but only 45% for females. This, too, raises concerns about what is keeping men from entering or staying in the nursing field. One answer is gender bias. Gender bias, most succinctly defined by the higher education company McGraw-Hill, is "Behavior that results from the underlying belief in sex role stereotypes." (McGraw-Hill Education Company). Entire dissertations have been written defining sex role stereotypes. ... eotypes ("conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conceptions, opinions, or images") ("Stereotypes") based on the roles ("characteristic and expected social behaviors of an individual") ("Roles") based on sex/gender, traditionally male or female. Vogel, Wester, Heesacker, & Madon's (2003) finding that women and men act in accordance with social roles which are often segregated along gender lines helps summarize how sex role stereotypes are perpetuated. They continue, "Popular culture has embraced the idea that women and men are different. Self-help books, talk shows, and magazine articles routinely acknowledge large gender differences" With popular culture stressing distinct differences and roles for men and women, it is understandable that a career traditionally considered female would not be considered attractive to some men. To assess biases and the status of Men in Nursing in 2005, the research firm of Bernard Hodes Group performed an on-line survey, open to male nurses and nursing students, from October until December 2004 and received almost 500 responses (N=498) (Bernard Hodes Group, 2005). Of note were the men's responses to the question regarding their perceptions about nursing before entering the field. The top four responses, with percentages responding, to what they had as perceptions of men and nursing: Traditionally female dominated field (85%) Other professions perceived "more appropriate" (62%) Nursing salaries are not competitive with other careers (33%) Nursing is not an autonomous, decision-making profession (27%) The next most popular response, "Nursing doesn't provide much upward mobility" garnered only 16% of responses. It is evident that the perception - or stereotype - of a subservient female is still in place. The media does not