Male and female nurses in intensive-care wards in The Netherlands

This article presents the results of a national survey among intensive-care nurses, establishing whether male nurses and female nurses can be distinguished with respect to issues such as professionalization, career orientation and their preference for technical departments. The study showed that there is an over-representation of men in technical wards. At IC/CC-units the percentage of male nurses is twice as large as in the hospital as a whole (IC/CCU included). The distribution of labour among male and female nurses is taking place according to traditional sex-specific role patterns. Male nurses are more oriented towards professionalization than female nurses. Male IC-nurses see their jobs more in a medical perspective and they also show a higher frequency in the performance of medically reserved activities. Male IC-nurses seem to be particularly directed at upgrading their own profession. The differences between male and female nurses can also be explained by culturally determined differences between men and women regarding their own career perspective and career development, as well as by internal staff policy.