Each term, third-year BN students from the Gender Studies for Health Professionals course give presentations on gendered nursing stereotypes. The purpose of the project is to have students explore gendered stereotypes about nursing and how they are perpetuated in the media and popular culture. Students are given full freedom in how they show a minimum of 5 examples, allowing them to explore the stereotypes in creative and complex ways. Each student presents on what their stereotype is, how the examples demonstrate the stereotype, how the stereotype reflects gender normativity, and why the stereotype is problematic to both nurses and patients.

On Thursday September 27th, the class shared their projects through informal presentations with any interested nursing faculty. Our guests moved around the room, talking to the students about their projects, as they learned more about the stereotypes that we’re all familiar with but maybe have never explored in depth. With Halloween just around the corner, we can see the stereotype of the ‘sexy nurse’ rearing her head yet again.

Thank you to everyone who came out to learn a little more about these gendered stereotypes, as our students explore how they themselves are what nurses look like, not the stereotypes perpetuated by the media and popular culture.

Post written by Meagen Chorney – Nursing Instructor – Gender Studies for Health Professionals