‘A long way to go’ before we see gender equity in nursing

This International Women's Day allows us to honour the achievements and contributions of women in health who have kept communities safe during the pandemic.

And yet nursing, the most female dominated profession in the world, continues to grapple with record rates of occupational violence, gender based discrimination and harassment.

Australian College of Nursing chief executive, Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward, began her own career in nursing at Sydney's Westmead hospital 30 years ago.

While things have progressed, there are still mountains to climb to achieve equality, she says.

“Nurses are still fighting for equity in pay, we’ve got gender-based discrimination, we’ve got gender-based violence, so there’s still a lot more to do," she says.

“During COVID-19, it’s been women who have turned up at the shopping centres, the preschools and schools, and the health facilities, and kept this nation safe.

“I would hope that respect would be shown by decision makers and politicians to give the pay we deserve and to give us an equal seat at the table.”

Ward spoke with Nursing Review to celebrate female nurses and reflect on the battle for gender equality in healthcare. 

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