1. Shelby

Carol Gilligan and Helga Kuhse have conflicting opinions related to ethics in healthcare, specifically related to gender. While both agree that men and women view ethics differently, their ideas conflict on whether or not ethics in healthcare should be driven by gender, or if one universal set of ethical standards should be implemented in healthcare. Gilligan asserts that males are more impersonal when it comes to ethics. “Basic to Gilligan’s work is the idea that ‘male’ ethics is concerned primarily with individuation, universality, hierarchal standing, and noninterference” (Illingworth & Parmet, 2006, pg. 184). Contrarily, Gilligan suggests that a “female” approach to ethics is one rooted in a connection and relationship with patients. On the other hand, while Kuhse agrees that ethics is gendered, she explains that the idea of care and ethics should be mutually exclusive. “Insofar as the public sphere is the realm of strangers, we cannot know the personal histories and particular circumstances of all those affected by our decisions, nor can we care for them in a personal way” (Illingworth & Parmet, 2006, pg.195). Basically, she is saying that while females have an inherent nurturing characteristic, that cannot be intertwined with ethical standards. The writer agrees with Kuhse because when considering ethics, one must be objective. Caring for patients effectively is separate from patient rights and the responsibility of the healthcare provider to the patient. One cannot project a gendered approach to ethics because it is not fair to the patient. A clear cut standard of ethics should be followed mainly because in the legal system, when an ethical code is violated, the government doesn’t make decisions based on gendered law, because such doesn’t exist. Justice does not carry gender, so ethics in nursing and healthcare should not as well.

Illingworth, P., & Parmet, W. (2006). Ethical Health Care. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

2. Denisha

Women are seen as a nurturer inside and outside of the workplace. Being a nurse many women patients cling to the women nurse and the women nurses are asked to uphold an ethic of care that should be equal regardless of sex. I would have to agree with Helga Kuhse. The term nurse between male and female should be used interchangeably. Men and women cannot stand without one another in the healthcare setting, they balance each other. Women nurses are most wanted to provide a more personal state of care depending on the patient and the situation. Women and men do approach ethical duties within the field differently. Women know their specific role as a nurse as well as a male but as a male, their approach is different.

When I worked in the nursing home, a lot of women patients may have experienced trauma from men and would prefer a female caregiver. Also, women get a sense of understanding from patients as seen from patients. God created each of us equal in his eye. Within the world we are different, there are women that try to become strong like man but men were designed for a different purpose than women. Woman was made from man’s rib and from there can assume the same capabilities of man but ultimately the roles can never be the same. Women nurses as feminist share a sense of empowerment and strong will but as a caregiver, the task at hand is the patient and I don’t think that either male or females can do it better. The approach will always be different.