Is Nursing a White Collar Job?
Nursing is a field of work that employs highly skilled and educated personnel, who are tasked with providing healthcare-related services to the public. But is it a white-collar job? The answer depends on who you ask.
Pros
The argument for nursing being a white-collar job is supported by many in the nursing profession. For example, nurses must complete extensive training in order to be eligible for state and/or national licensure, which requires a certain level of knowledge and competency. Nurses are also to responsible for making decisions that can have direct impacts on patient health outcomes. This requires significant interaction with patients and other healthcare professionals, a task commonly associated with white-collar jobs.
Cons
Others contend that nursing is not a white-collar job due to the physical labor involved. Nursing requires long hours on their feet, as well as lifting and moving patients and other objects. Nurses often face stressful situations that require problem solving, but this is typically done in a matter of minutes rather than hours, a feature associated with many blue-collar jobs.
Conclusion
It is impossible to definitively answer the question of whether nursing is a white-collar job since there is no single answer. What is important to consider is that nursing provides an invaluable service to the public regardless of its categorization.
Nurses perform a variety of duties and have a continuous opportunity to make positive changes to the healthcare system. Some of the most essential nursing roles include:
- Patient Advocates: Nurses serve as patient advocates by providing support and guidance.
- Care Coordinators: Nurses coordinate and provide patient care services in conjunction with other healthcare professionals
- Educators: Nurses educate both patients and their families on preventive care and health maintenance.
In conclusion, it is impossible to answer the question of “Is nursing a white-collar job?” definitively. However, no matter how you look at it, nurses do valuable and important work that benefits society as a whole.