Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing Education
Overview
This paper examines ethical dilemmas in nursing education by analyzing the conflict between the ethic of justice and the ethic of care. Using the example of accommodating a pregnant student's need for frequent breaks, the paper explores how to balance equitable treatment of all students with compassionate care for individual medical needs.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to ethics of justice versus ethics of care with theoretical frameworks
- Presentation of the pregnant student case study and conflicting ethical perspectives
- Analysis of potential solutions and recommendation for transparent communication
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Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing Education
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Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing Education
Beauchamp & Chuldress (2001) defined the ethic of justice as equitable, fair, and appropriate treatment in light of what is owed to other people. On the other hand, according to Gilligan (9182), the ethic of care encompasses the development and nurturing harmonious environment motivated by a need-centered, contextual, and holistic point of view. The rest of the students feel the pregnant student is getting special attention based on the classroom situation. From their point of view, they think it is not just that it violates the ethics of justice. On the other hand, denying the pregnant student the 'special treatment' would violate the ethics of care.
Another option would give all the students breaks so that they all enjoy the 'special treatment.' However, this would imply the interruption of the school schedule and potentially reduced academic outcomes. The nurse might consider explaining to the class why one of the students needs frequent breaks, but this would imply revealing her condition to the rest of the class, and therefore, a possible violation of privacy and patient-nurse confidentiality. Here, there is a dilemma in the imbalance of the ethic of justice and care. It is the individual right of each student to be treated relatively the same way the pregnant student has a personal right to care.