The motherhood career slide. A recent study reveals that gender perceptions have a negative impact on women's career progression in nursing

Abstract

Men constitute 11 per cent of Scotland’s nursing workforce, yet they make up 27.6 per cent of senior management. Major research into gender and nursing career progression completed at Edinburgh Napier University last year explored the hypothesis that women’s career trajectories put them at a disadvantage. The research was conducted in two phases. The first involved a quantitative analysis of the work patterns of 65,781 nurses in Scotland between 2000 and 2008. Gender, employment grades, number and length of career breaks, length of service, age, working patterns, and number and age of dependent children were examined to identify the factors that influence women’s career outcomes.