Review of psychology, Vol. 17 No. 2, 2010.
Original scientific paper
Sex role orientation, stressors and resources in male and female nurses
Olivia Kada
; Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, School of Health and Care
Abstract
Given the demographic changes, it is important to counteract the nursing shortage by recruiting female and male nurses. Gender stereotypes in society and the low status of nursing are common barriers for men to enter nursing. The gender self-concept of nurses is related to the social valuation of this profession as well as to nurses’ vocational stress. Therefore, the present study investigated sex role orientation (BSRI) and work stressors and resources (KZFA) in matched pairs of 30 female and 30 male nurses using standardized questionnaires (cross-sectional design). Female and male study subjects did not differ regarding femininity and masculinity. Male nurses reported significantly more stressors. Masculinity was positively correlated to work content in the male respondents and was negatively associated with resources in the female study subjects. It seems that masculinity is accepted and rewarded in male nurses whereas female nurses showing masculine traits and deviating from the traditional subservient role experience negative reactions. In order to counteract the nursing shortage it is crucial to reduce the societal gender stereotypes, work towards the acceptance of gender-role transgressors and enhance the image of nursing.
Keywords
femininity; masculinity; work stress; occupational segregation; gender stereotypes
Hrčak ID:
70667
URI
Publication date:
7.12.2010.
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