Everyday sexism in nursing degrees: A cross-sectional, multicenter study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Social Sciences
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Gender stereotypes perpetuate inequality and discrimination in healthcare settings.
• University students often lack confidence in identifying and managing sexist situations.
• There's a need to understand everyday sexism within academic and clinical nursing environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nursing students' perceptions of sexist behaviors encountered in their daily university life and during academic instruction.
• To identify the prevalence and nature of sexism experienced by nursing students in Catalonia.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted using an online questionnaire.
• Data were collected from 317 third- and fourth-year undergraduate or first- and second-year postgraduate nursing students across eight Catalan universities.
• The study employed snowball sampling and analyzed data using descriptive and bivariate statistics, referencing the Microsexism Against Women Scale.

Main Results:

• Students perceived minimal gender-based differences in group work dynamics, indicating no perceived power imbalances in this context.
• While female students reported more unwanted physical contact, similar rates were observed during practicums.
• Everyday sexism and discrimination were identified within the nursing school environment, but not during clinical practicums.

Conclusions:

• Sexism is perceived in nursing degree programs, particularly in interpersonal relationships within the university, but not in classroom settings or clinical practice.
• Students face challenges in recognizing sexist behaviors due to various underlying mechanisms.
• Integrating strategies to address sexism in nursing training is essential for fostering a secure and equitable educational experience.