ISBN : 9780190695712
Nurses are positioned on healthcare's front line, intimately connected to individuals, families, and communities. How can they leverage this position to work for the common good?
In Toward a Better World, Mark Lazenby, a philosopher and a nurse, presents a plan of action. He argues that nurses advance the good society when they fulfill fundamental obligations. Promoting equality, peace and respect, providing assistance and safety, and safeguarding the health of our planet are among these obligations. By acting upon them, nurses become a force for social change in their communities. But through the collective power of more than 20 million nurses worldwide, nurses become a global force for making the world a better place—in the present and for the future.
A companion to Caring Matters Most, Lazenby's ethics book, Toward a Better World challenges readers to lead good lives of service to others. This book will invigorate all, nurses and non-nurses alike, who wish to spend their lives making the world a better place.
Foreword by Sheila Tlou, RN, PhD, FAAN
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Nursing and the Good Society
Part I: Nursing is a Moral Profession
Chapter 2: Nursing and our Common Humanity
Chapter 3: Nursing and Obligation
Part II: The Obligations of Nursing
Chapter 4: Equality
Chapter 5: Assistance
Chapter 6: Peace
Chapter 7: Safety
Chapter 8: Earth
Chapter 9: Respect
Part III: Nursing Beyond Boundaries
Chapter 10: Nursing is Always Local
Chapter 11: The Social Significance of Nursing
Notes to Chapters
Bibliography
Discussion Questions
Appendix: International Council of Nurses Position Statement: Nurses, Climate Change and Health
"Mark Lazenby unites expertise in philosophy and nursing with a moral framework to address the raison dâtre of the nursing profession. His perspective is as refreshing as it is rare. He combines research and clinical experience in a vivid narrative that is both profound and accessible. I heartily recommend it. It deserves a wide reading among not only nurses, but all who think about the basic orientations of their professions." - Greg E. Sterling, Yale Divinity School
"Mark Lazenbys Toward a Better World is a gem—a clear and powerful portrayal of the remarkable social significance of nursing through compelling narratives and informed by wide-ranging insights from philosophy, history, and other disciplines. I strongly recommend it not only to those interested in the nursing profession and its vital and far-reaching social role but to also to anyone interested in a good life of service." - James F. Childress, Professor Emeritus, University of Virginia
"A valuable book: gently, but convincingly, portrays nurses as essential moral actors in our increasingly troubled world. Whether that means advocating for peace, fighting climate change, or helping those in need despite the often severe risks, Lazenby shows how nurses can and must work to make the world a better place." - Theresa Brown, RN, is Clinical Faculty at the U. Pitt School of Nursing and author of the New York Times bestseller The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives, Clinical Faculty at the U. Pitt School of Nursing