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Sunderland Repository records the research produced by the University of Sunderland including practice-based research and theses.

A woman’s place is in theatre: women’s perceptions and experiences of working in surgery from the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland Women in Surgery working group.

Bellini, Maria Irene, Graham, Yitka, Hayes, Catherine, Zakeri, Roxanna, Parks, Rowan and Papalois, Vasilios (2019) A woman’s place is in theatre: women’s perceptions and experiences of working in surgery from the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland Women in Surgery working group. BMJ Open, 9 (1). ISSN 2044-6055

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Objective: Surgery remains an inherently male-dominated profession. The aim of this study was to survey women working within the discipline, to understand their current perceptions, providing insight into their practical day-to-day lives, supporting an action-oriented change.
Design and Setting: The link to a confidential, on-line survey was distributed through the Association of Surgery of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter over a two-week period in October 2017.
Participants: Women working in surgical specialties and actively responding to the link shared through the ASGBI social media platforms. No patients were involved in the study.
Primary and Secondary Outcome measures: Data were analysed through a mixed methods approach. The quantitative data was analysed through descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis was undertaken using a constant comparative analysis of the participants’ comments, to identify salient patterns (themes).
Results: A total of 81 female participants replied (42% response rate based on the Facebook group members), with 88% (n=71) perceiving surgery as a male-dominated field. Over half had experienced discrimination (59%, n=47), whilst 22% (n=18) perceived a ‘glass ceiling’ in surgical training. Orthopaedics was reported as the most sexist surgical specialty by 53% (n=43). Accounts of gendered language in the workplace were reported by 59% (n=47), with 32% (n=25) of surveys participants having used it. Overall, a lack of formal mentorship, inflexibility towards part-time careers, gender stereotypes and poor work-life balance were the main perceived barriers for women in surgical careers.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the implicit nature of the perceived discrimination that women report in their surgical careers. The ASGBI acknowledges these perceptual issues and relative implications as the first of many steps to create an action-oriented change by allowing all staff, regardless of gender, to reflect on their own behaviour, perceptions and the culture in which they work.

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More Information

Depositing User: Yitka Graham

Identifiers

Item ID: 10080
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024349
ISSN: 2044-6055
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/10080
Official URL: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e024349

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Yitka Graham: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6206-1461
ORCID for Catherine Hayes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3870-2668

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 05 Nov 2018 11:34
Last Modified: 04 Feb 2020 14:01

Contributors

Author: Yitka Graham ORCID iD
Author: Catherine Hayes ORCID iD
Author: Maria Irene Bellini
Author: Roxanna Zakeri
Author: Rowan Parks
Author: Vasilios Papalois

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing
Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Subjects

Sciences > Nursing

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