Posted 01 April 2021 - 17:50
Posted 01 April 2021 - 17:50
News
Call bells and sexism: what nurses say about gendered dress-and-cap symbols
Nurse prompts Twitter debate on impact of out-dated imagery on bedside buzzers
Nurse prompts Twitter debate on impact of out-dated imagery on bedside buzzers
A nurse has sparked a sexism debate about whether the symbols used on call bells supposedly depicting nurses should be consigned to history.
The nurse, who was a patient at the time of the tweet, posted a picture of a call bell with a symbol suggesting a woman in old-style uniform. The Tweet reads: ‘How are we in 2021 and the call bell still looks like this. #EverydaySexism.’
Twitter discussion
The tweet has been ‘liked’ more than 1,000 times, with others sharing similar images as part of the discussion.
The nurse told Nursing Standard: ‘I was looking at the graphic and I thought to myself “nurses don’t look like that anymore”.
‘We definitely don’t wear caps. I was thinking it is strange because in my role as a nurse I wear scrubs. I remember thinking it’s a shame it looks that way.’
Wider implications of nurse stereotyping
The tweets have led to nurses debating the appropriateness of the image and how a tiny picture can have significant implications.
Stereotyping is a form of sexism. I'm well aware of the ratio in nursing, and how stereotypes like these perpetuate low numbers of men.
— Leanne Patrick (@LeanneHPatrick) March 30, 2021
It's also a regressive view of women.
The underlying #EverydaySexism is a big problem. It means nursing isn't valued and that's reflected in pay and working conditions
— Prof Alison Leary 💙 (@alisonleary1) March 29, 2021
Risks that come with unconscious bias
The authors concluded that patient call bells should not have a gender-specific symbol because the responder can be a man or woman. They added that such conventional imagery leads to unconscious bias, which could be a barrier to change, fair pay, and equal opportunity.
While some nurses and healthcare professionals did object to use of ‘female’ symbolism on call bells, but others responded with suggestions for alternatives.
It's interesting that it needs to be figural at all -so that says something about the manufacturer. The light has a lightbulb, why can't the bell have a bell on it? (yes I know it's a buzzer, but a bell will do the job). It's to attract attention surely, not to call 'The Nurse'?
— June Girvin 😷 (@ProfJuneG) March 30, 2021
RCN professional lead for infection prevention and control Rose Gallagher also had concerns about the image.
She said: ‘Nursing uniforms have changed and developed over recent years and outdated imagery of a nurse in a cap and dress does not reflect the modern nursing profession.’
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