Only lower class girls become nurses

[upsidelow]

I am a nurse, definitely from a working class background for which I am proud. I had it said to me that it's the poor or thick girls that become nurses. To be fair the person who said it did not know that I am a nurse but still...Is that what people think? That you don't need to be clever to be a nurse! I studied for three years, I also have post graduate qualifications too. My job is demanding and requires a lot of time and attention. I am not thick! Apparently bright girls being teachers...

Classism and sexism

Working class women can do menial, caring jobs

Working class men can do DAD (dangerous and dirty) jobs

Middle class men and women can do the important "thinking" jobs

These stereotypes hold us back so much

And what occupation / education was the person making these judgements? I deal a lot with retired Oxbridge academics many of whom have medical issues due to their age and I couldn’t imagine them having anything but respect for nurses. In general I find that the higher someone’s education and attainment the greater respect they have for others in their respective fields.

Maybe once upon a time….not anymore

But nursing these days is definitely a “thinking” job…

How bizarre.

A friend from sixth form college became a nurse. Her father was a company director and her mother was a headteacher at a rather posh prep school (which the girl had attended).

A neighbour is a nurse and she grew up in a council house with a single mum who worked multiple low-paid jobs.

My friend's sister is a nurse and her father was an electrician and her mum a social worker.

A snapshot of three nurses I know who all had very different childhoods: one rather well off and privately educated, one very much working class and financially unstable and the third from an average sort of respectable, just about comfortable, family in that grey area that some called lower middle class or upper working class.

It's a nonsense to say nursing has any particular demographic other than overwhelmingly female.

In from the 20s til about the 80s it was always seen as quite middle class - a respectable career for an intelligent young woman and a good way to meet a doctor. But it's much more mixed now.

i remember a snooty mental health nurse saying doctors' receptionists were failed nurses!
very rude.

No you don’t.

Nurses need to be bright, but it’s an accessible course, you don’t need brilliant grades to get on, and the course itself is not as academic as medicine by a long shot.

This is not to disrespect nurses - it’s a different job and skill set. It is not better or worse than medicine, or anything else.

It is but unfortunately I don't think everyone sees it that way.

So it is true?
No then why on earth does it matter?

Mind you I don't actually see anything wrong in anyone being a nurse but this idea we have to believe something because we are told it shows lack of using our brain

Ignore the asshole who said this!
I would never think that and no one decent would.
Have only respect for nurses.

Of course it's not true.

My cousin went to an expensive boarding school and became a nurse. It was a long time ago but she loves it amd is now in a senior position at Great Ormand Street but I know she started off on bed pan and bed making duty like everyone else.

That's not what she's saying though.

She said lower class, not stupid.

But either way, OP, no, it's not correct.

Traditionally lots of well to do girls went into dating professions - nursing, teaching, nursery nurse (Princess Di).

As a pp said, often it was to find a doctor or similar to marry, but often they were just seen as suitable careers for well educated women to pursue, albeit this was often just until they had children when they would often give it up to be stay at home mums.

I think it's an absolutely essential and extremely hard job.

I would guess that this person has that view as nursing is traditionally women's work and is definitely underpaid (similar to teaching). MC and UC people may be in a more privileged position to see this and feel it is below them.

Nurses are not some kind of failed Doctor it's a profession in its own right along with other health care profession, s
Project 2000 was brought in the early 90,s to make the training more robust in the hope people would see Nurse, s as professionals its
It's a long time since they have Been Handmaiden, s to the Doctors

When I was in hospital recently, an Asian lady asked an Asian nurse whether she would stay in nursing, or whether she wanted something higher.

I overheard this conversation, there’s no privacy in hospital. I was so cross that this lady had said that, it’s so rude and judgemental. I spoke to the nurse later and told her that she’s doing a brilliant job and that nurses are amazing.

It's probably seen as similar status as a primary school teacher.

Nah come on - there is no doubt medicine is seen by most people as more prestigious than nursing because it demands a particularly academic brain, it brings in more money, and doctors tend to make decisions about treatment which nurses then carry out.

This does not mean that nursing doesn’t involve a separate set of skills, or that good doctors don’t spend a lot of time listening to nurses, and it certainly doesn’t mean that nursing is a less important profession - but it is a less prestigious one.

That is such an offensive, outdated, condescending stereotype! What an arse!

As if it doesn’t take brains, ability, dedication and sense to pass a nursing degree and then do one of the most demanding and technical jobs in the world?

And why does the pillock who suggested this seem to think teaching and nursing are the only two career options available for women??

Exactly - this is so true. That social capital point really stands out. My very wc parents gave me every opportunity they could but I am very conscious I can give my DC insider knowledge that they were unable to provide.
I know someone who left school with terrible A levels who is now a doctor - kudos to them but also to some extent down to that social capital and being aware of other ways in.
I also know others, the children of medics, who narrowly missed their grades for medicine but got in through family connections/ ability to pay for crammer colleges and resits.
It is not an equal playing field.

I always thought nursing was a middle class profession .

@HerewegoagainSS regarding my previous comment, apologies, I see now the OP did say "poor or thick", which is what you were referencing.

And, of course, you are right. Nurses are not thick.

My previous post was supposed to say "caring professions" - not dating professions.

Lots of people have opinions OP, we don't have to take them all onboard.

I think years ago it was a posh girls job, Florence Nightingale wasn't exactly working class. My great aunt was a nurse, she said it was difficult as all the posh girls used the pay as pocket money and she had to live on hers and send money home to help her mother. Depends how many years ago we are talking.

Well they are outdated, aren't they? Nurses need a degree (my DD is one). I'm a teacher, and I can tell you that nobody is becoming a teacher nowadays, bright or not.

It's why there is a crisis.