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The impact of gender perceptions and professional values on women's careers in nursing
McIntosh, Bryan McQuaid, R. Munro, A.
McIntosh, Bryan
McQuaid, R.
Munro, A.
Publication Date
2015
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This article is © Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here: https://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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Abstract
Purpose - Within nursing, there appear to be two enduring sets of assumptions: firstly, that
woman with children should prioritise the care of children; and secondly, that nursing
standards require nurses to put their profession above other priorities. Commitment is linked
to full-time working this contrasts sharply with the reality for many women with children
who need to work part-time and are not able to change or extend working hours.
Design/methodology/approach - This qualitative research involved the use of 32 in-depth
interviews with thirty-two female registered nurses with children and without children. They
were employed in ‘acute’ nursing where aged between 25 to 60 years old and employed in
registered grades ‘D’ to ‘senior nurse manager’. They worked or had worked on a variety of
employment conditions, some, but not all, had taken career breaks. The rationale for
exclusively selecting women was based on the need to identify and describe organisational,
situational, and individual factors related to women and the associations and barriers which
affect their careers.
Findings - In a female dominated profession, we find the profession resisting attempts to
make the profession more accessible to women with young children. The career progression
of women with children is inhibited and this is driven in part by a determination to maintain
‘traditional’ employment practices.
Originality/value – This paper develops Heilman's argument that the restructuring of
employment has lead to work intensification which stokes gender tensions. These findings
are relevant across many areas of employment and they are significant in relation to
broadening the debate around equal opportunities for women.
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Citation
McIntosh B, McQuaid R and Munro A (2015) The impact of gender perceptions and
professional values on women's careers in nursing. Gender in Management: An International Journal. 30(1): 26-43.
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