Sources of career disadvantage in nursing
- 1 December 1999
- journal article
- Published by Emerald Publishing in Journal of Management in Medicine
- Vol. 13 (6) , 373-389
- https://doi.org/10.1108/02689239910304824
Abstract
Despite the numerical predominance of women in nursing there is a marked concentration of women, especially those working part‐time, in the lower echelons of the profession. The paper presents survey data and interview material from a study of qualified nurses in NHS Wales. By controlling for differences in education and experience in nursing work, it was found that comparable groups of female nurses received unequal employment opportunities. Women with dependent children were primarily located in the lower nurse grades irrespective of their qualifications and experience. Much of this was associated with inflexible working practices, and the low status of part‐time work. Occupational downgrading for female returners was also a significant barrier to career advancement. However, these problems were not recognised by management. Management failed to evaluate the mechanics of their human resource policies in terms which matter to many nurses, in particular with regard to the management of diversity.Keywords
This publication has 9 references indexed in Scilit:
- Women in the police: factors influencing managerial advancementWomen in Management Review, 1997
- A fatal attraction?Personnel Review, 1996
- ‘Sameness’ and ‘Difference’ Revisited: Which Way Forward For Equal Opportunity Initiatives?Journal of Management Studies, 1996
- Getting to the top in the National Health ServicePublished by Springer Nature ,1996
- Women on the boards of Britain′s top 200 companiesWomen in Management Review, 1995
- A bit excessiveNursing Standard, 1995
- The Business Case for Women′s EqualityEmployee Relations, 1994
- Demographic Change and Female Employment: Lessons from Two British CasesEmployee Relations, 1993
- Changing nurses’ payNursing Standard, 1993