Why are Julia and Dr. Valentine so often in conflict? Have you ever experienced similar tension with a superior at work?

There is a considerable amount of tension between Julia and Dr. Valentine, why do you suppose they were so often in conflict? Have you ever experienced similar tension with a superior at work?

Julia's position was certainly perceived as lower than that of a doctor. Dr. Valentine definitely had the position of power. Sometimes those in power don't want to acknowledge the truth or wisdom of those under them.
I had an employer who was very demeaning to me. I don't think Dr. Valentine was demeaning, but being put down leaves a mark.

But of course. Dr. Valentine would never have listened to a woman. Consider it has been a mere 40 -50 years since women were truly included in the workplace. Additionally, more experienced folks have a hard time considering that a younger person would add value. I’ve had tension with numerous managers throughout my career. In most instances, however, I offered my thoughts and learned to concede that whoever has the most authority at the end of the day prevails.

Dr. Valentine considered himself to be superior to Julia in both power and knowledge and did not see her as offering value. Julia thought she had much to offer in patient care situations, and wanted her opinions heard and valued. Conflict in such a situation is almost inevitable.

Haven't we all had these people in our lives? In this case, doctors can often still seem to think they are better than the people around them, even or especially the nurses. In that era, that attitude was probably much more common; not only was she a nurse, but she was a woman.

She was a woman and Dr Valentine did not value her or her ideas. I had one supervisor years ago that was difficult to work with.

Dr. Valentine felt threatened on some level with Julia’s abilities and natural leadership. He was a member of the Old Boys Club, and yes, I have encountered a Dr. Valentine or two in my career.

Dr. Valentine had a big head. He was one of those men that automatically puts themselves above a woman. I worked for a man that said straight out he would never pay a woman the same as he would a man. I did the same job as the man before me!

Dr. Valentine felt superior to Julia, he was the doctor and she was the nurse thus Julia should listen and follow his orders even if observations and methods were appropriate and correct plus save/and make lives more fulfilling. I do not think he wanted to listen to other doctors under his command also, after all he was in charge. I think women are listened to more now, at least in some fields. But for me it was largely ageism not sexism.

I think Dr. Valentine and Julia came to heads because their personalities and goals were totally different. Julia was always trying to find a new and innovative way to practice nursing, and Dr. Valentine was set in the "old" ways of practicing medicine.

There are always Drs. Valentine when it comes to some men with power coming up against an intelligent woman with a backbone. I've run into my share of them, but I am pleased to say that though ubiquitous, they are not the majority.

Power struggles are very common in the workplace. Dr. Valentine wanted to keep those struggles to a place where he always won because he was male. In the 20s power struggles didn’t even require the distinction of education because women could not become doctors. Ideally power struggles should be decided by education and experience. Hopefully we are moving that direction.

Dr Valentine wanted everything in its proper place and he felt nurses were less educated and were subject to the doctor's knowledge. He had not come in contact with someone like Julia and it upset him.

Male- female dominance, doctor- nurse dominance....unable to separate for the likes of Dr. Valentine. Women, therefore nurses, are to remain in their place! To challenge authority or "rock" any boat was not acceptable behavior.

Dr. V was very old school in his thinking of nurses and women, it was his way, end of discussion.

I believe that Dr. Valentine was threatened by Julia. To begin with women in that period of time did not hold 'lofty' positions, and Julia being a head nurse and as self confident as she was threatened Valentine's position. She knew almost as much as he did and he didn't like that.