Nurses' Work Role in the Context of Gender and Chinese Culture

Abstract

Nurses in Taiwan are seen as "angels in white." This image conveys that nurses are caring, kind, patient, and full of love. Another popular image of nurses is that of a candle, which implies that nurses bring light to others by sacrificing their "self." These images also reflect accurately the traditional role of women in the Chinese patriarchal society. Hence, gender and culture effects on nurses' perceptions of their work role cannot be ignored. The purpose of this article was to explore nurses' perceptions of their work role on the basis of the perspectives of Chinese gender role and culture. This study was conducted using a Web-based online forum for 4 weeks. Twenty nurses completed discussions of questions in four topic areas. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Three themes were identified: (a) gendered work, (b) low social status, and (c) tensions among nurses. Findings indicate that certain stereotypes regarding gender roles in Taiwanese society constrained the professional growth of nurses and nursing. The social status of nurses was found to be relatively low, and nurses were at a relatively high risk of developing powerless behaviors. Nursing leaders and administrators should understand the impact of gender and Chinese culture on nursing and pay attention to the situation of nurses to provide more gender-sensitive and positive work environments for nurses.