How Gender Has Inhibited Growth in Nursing
Nursing is one of the knowledge-based professionals. This is the case because the field embraces new ideas and evidence-based concepts in order to achieve the best health outcomes. Newman (2014) believes that nursing will always be an by life-long learning (p. 3). However, the nature and history of nursing has associated with numerous barriers. For very many years, nursing was left in the hands of women. Many people treated nursing as an in-and-out profession (Newman, 2014). Many people in the society also viewed nursing as a tool for preparing women to become responsible homemakers.
People described nursing as a . Nursing education mainly focused on training rather than intellectual stimulation (Vieira, Alves, Monteiro, & Garcia, 2013, p. 1129). Research findings and theoretical concepts were ignored thus resulting in stagnation. The early 20th century was characterized by poor theoretical developments and advancements (Vieira et al., 2013). The concept of leadership was also used differently. For instance, the role of hospital management was to make specific rules. This malpractice empowered different non-practitioners to outline various health regulations. The approach made it impossible for nurses to present their views or grievances.
The concept of gender role also forced women to concentrate on their patients needs. They did so without promoting new inquiries, analyses, and investigations. Such practitioners also lacked the required resources to transform the nature of nursing. Non-practitioners controlled every financial and health resource. This situation made it impossible for more nurses to accomplish their goals. The society ignored womens abilities to engage in constructive conversations and decision-making processes (Vieira et al., 2013). Policymakers focused on various practices that could maximize the outcomes of different patients. Nurses were therefore required to focus on such goals without questioning. Every form of rebellion was severely punished.
These malpractices created a profession that failed to promote theory advancement or intellectual stimulation (Newman, 2014, p. 4). Nursing education failed to deliver new concepts for continued conceptualization, analysis, and thinking. The education system in order to engage in critical thinking and theory formulation (Paustian-Underdahl, Slattery, & Woehr, 2014, p. 1136). The dual-roles of women made it impossible for them to focus on the best practices in nursing. Their social statuses also made it impossible for them to acquire and use various resources to support their career goals.
From a personal perspective, I strongly believe that gender issues and social statuses have inhibited the growth of nursing as a knowledge-based profession. As well, many people view nursing as the best tool for guiding women in order to become good mothers and wives. The world has always treated nursing as a stereotyped gender role that should support various social and cultural structures (., 2014). Women have lacked the required resources to promote new theories and concepts that can transform the nature of nursing.
The past few years have proved to the world that women can deliver immeasurable concepts and skills. Such theoretical concepts can be used to revolutionize this profession. For instance, women have promoted the use of abstract thinking and observational abilities (Vieira et al., 2013). They have always embraced the power of teamwork and decision-making (Newman, 2014, p. 7). Modern changes encourage nurses to record whatever is happening in every situation. The acquired data is used to and nursing theories. This argument shows clearly that different gender stereotypes have affected the progression of nursing. New ideologies are therefore needed in order to make nursing a powerful profession that can transform the health outcomes of many communities.
