The impact of gender roles on choosing profession: The sample of nursing profession

There are various occupational groups in working life. Both women and men are employed in these occupational groups. However, it is a known fact that the proportions of men and women are not balanced in professions. Professions are also segregated according to gender according to the roles of femininity and masculinity. This segregation implies that the proportion of women or men is higher in certain occupational groups. Determining occupational identities according to gender leads to gendering of the professions. In patriarchal structure, the medical field becoming masculine, keeping women out of professional professions caused the nursing profession to be defined as a woman profession worldwide. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of gender roles on career choice from the perspective of female and male nurses from the perspective of women's studies and gender. In addition, the study examines the gender change in the nursing profession in the context of gender. In this direction, first the concepts of profession, choice of profession and gender roles were explained. In Kepez State Hospital, interviews were conducted with eight female, eight male, a total of sixteen nurses using the in-depth interview technique, which is a qualitative data collection technique. The findings obtained at the end of the interview were interpreted within the scope of feminist theories. According to the research findings, gender roles affect the choice of profession. Participants agree that the working life of women is negatively affected due to their mother and wife roles and that nursing profession is not suitable for women. However, most of the male and female nurses participating in the study stated that professions should not have gender. However, it has been found that gender roles affect the choice of profession. In addition, at the end of the research, it was seen that the social perception that women should choose a profession where they would not neglect their family life and children was common. Because of this perception, most of the participants stated that the nursing profession is not suitable for women. It has been determined that all of the female participants are satisfied with the entry of men into the nursing profession. It has been observed that female nurses are not aware of the possibility of men to establish hegemony in the nursing profession. Men and women should be equal in all areas and male supremacy should come to an end. In addition, according to the roles of femininity and masculinity, division of labor and profession should not be chosen in working life. With this perception, women will be able to have more say in working life.