GENDER INEQUALITY OF PAY FOR U.S. NURSES!

Gender inequality of pay is a widespread issue in our country, we know.
But most of us think that medicine would be one area where there isn’t inequality. After all, to be any type of healthcare provider you have to complete certain degrees, go through specific requirements of training and pass specific exams.

Why would there be a difference in pay if you are male versus female?

Well a big study (first of its kind!) shows there is a big difference. An average male nurse makes $5100 more per year than a female nurse. If they are in a specialty such as cardiology, that gap could be as high as over $6000 per year. These statistics are true despite the fact that most nurses are female.

What’s more, this study found that the gap in pay has not gotten smaller since 1988!!

What the heck is going here? Perhaps we should ask a few questions:

Are women afraid of asking for raises and promotions? (I think so!)

Are women not well trained in negotiating and therefore fall short of asking for what they deserve? (sounds familiar…..)

Is there a lingering bias that males should make more as the “breadwinners” in families?

Are hospital administrations still holding the outdated bias that men are more capable than women? (my stomach is turning)

Some or all of these may be attributing to the problem. Regardless, it is a problem that we should have gotten rid of by 2015. Each hospital administration should be looking out for gender pay inequality and rectifying it ASAP. Nurses, both male and female, should not tolerate this, and neither should the rest of us!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/stubborn-pay-gap-is-found-in-nursing/?_r=0