This paper examines the foundational assumptions of feminist theory and their relationship to the nursing profession. It traces the historical development of feminism across three eras and applies feminist thinking to nursing's core metaparadigm concepts: person, health, and environment. The paper discusses how nursing has long been stereotyped as a feminine occupation, drawing on the example of Florence Nightingale, and explores how nurses continue to face low pay, understaffing, and limited administrative power. The paper concludes that while feminist theory supports greater professional equality in healthcare, certain aspects of the nursing environment continue to reinforce traditional, oppressive gender roles.
The profession of nursing and feminism have gone hand in hand ever since feminist theory was introduced. This correlation arose from the close historical link between women and nursing. Nursing has always been considered a highly feminine profession — few people picture a man when they think of a nurse. Many beliefs and assumptions have emerged from feminist theory, most of which are straightforward and clearly defined.
One of the major assumptions of feminist theory is that women are oppressed. There must, of course, be an underlying cause for a theory to emerge and for people to speak against prevailing norms. Another assumption is that the theory must be directed toward the normality, centrality, and relevance of women's experiences. A further key assumption is that gender is socially constructed. Although many theorists accept this notion, it is not universally agreed upon. When gender roles are understood as socially constructed, the concept of family becomes relevant as well. Family structures are seen as reinforcing the oppression of women — a central assumption of feminist theory — because they contain heterosexual, class-based, and cultural stereotypes. Women are often required to alter their roles when they have a family to care for.
Another assumption within feminist theory is that methodological approaches and social change should be value-committed. Finally, feminist theory holds that women can overcome oppression only by succeeding in higher professional fields (Allan, 1993).
The assumptions of feminist theory are also organized according to three historical eras in which the movement developed. The first era, in the nineteenth century, focused on women's right to vote and to own property. In the 1960s, feminists advocated for women's liberation — encompassing political, cultural, social, and sexual freedoms. The most recent era, spanning the 1980s and 1990s, brought discussions of feminism in relation to class and race. Across all these periods, feminists have argued that a woman's value to society should be based on what she can contribute as a person, not on her biological or sexual characteristics (Allan, 1993).
The nursing metaparadigm encompasses four central concepts: person, health, environment, and nursing. Within this framework, the sick individual is regarded not merely as a patient but as a subject — someone who is seen and understood in relation to family and social groups. In practical terms, this means the patient is not reduced to a diagnosis but is viewed as an autonomous, independent person. Feminists connect this paradigm to the broader link drawn between nursing and womanhood.
Nursing occupies a very specific niche among occupations, one that is frequently associated with stereotypically feminine characteristics (Hoffmann, 1991). The profession sits somewhere between non-professional and professional hospital staff. Feminists argue that this positioning reflects the expectation that female nurses embody womanly, caring traits. Even history has reinforced this image: Florence Nightingale, for example, was portrayed as a passionate and caring nurse who used her feminine qualities to challenge the norms of her time. She refused to accept prevailing expectations and worked to establish nursing as a distinct and respected profession (Woodham-Smith, 1951).
Feminists are critical of these traditional roles and expectations placed on female nurses. While nurses are expected to treat each patient as an individual, feminists argue that the same professional respect and autonomy should be afforded to nurses themselves — the kind of standing that doctors and surgeons are automatically granted. As Florence Nightingale made clear even before beginning her career, she intended to work with doctors, not for them (Holliday & Parker, 1997). Many nurses and feminists today face the same dilemma: they must choose between performing very feminine roles or adopting very masculine ones (Holliday & Parker, 1997).
Feminists also argue that history has exploited the structural and cultural forces that shaped the nursing profession. Even as nursing was emerging as a formal field, its pioneers recognized the biases and discrepancies that women would face within it.
The concept of health, in feminist nursing theory, is not limited to diagnosing conditions or treating diseases. It is a broad and negotiated term, one that regards nurses as equally learned medical professionals rather than mere subordinates to physicians. There is no single fixed definition of health; it is contextual and relational. Nurses have long been oppressed within various clinical and staff settings, which is why feminist theory supports the idea of professional equality among all healthcare workers.
Despite this egalitarian vision, the reality in clinical settings remains starkly different. Nurses still face occupational hazards, low pay, limited mobility, and severe understaffing (Bent, 1993). In practice, nurses function as the primary mediators between patients and the healthcare system. The quality of nursing care profoundly shapes a patient's hospital experience, recovery, and overall outcome. Yet despite this crucial role, nurses hold very little administrative authority. They must continually advocate for higher pay and better relationships with physicians.
Nurses have historically been perceived as lacking independent knowledge and formal learning. Even today, nursing training and nursing knowledge are undervalued (Bent, 1993). Physicians and surgeons often do not recognize the importance of rigorous nursing education. Though it is the doctor who provides diagnosis and prescribes treatment, nurses are indispensable to achieving positive patient outcomes. Interestingly, teaching — another profession predominantly associated with women — requires a four-year baccalaureate degree, whereas nursing historically required only a two-year degree, further reflecting the undervaluation of nursing as a discipline.
Environment is another critical component of the nursing metaparadigm. A patient's recovery and hospital experience depend significantly on the care environment that nurses create and maintain. Factors such as home life, mental state, risk of relapse, and overall recovery are all shaped by how nurses manage the healthcare environment. A nurse who maintains a welcoming, family-centered care environment contributes directly to better patient outcomes.
"Nurses' workplace inequality and professional status"
"Family dynamics and nursing environment analyzed"
Holliday, M., & Parker, D. (1997). Florence Nightingale, feminism and nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 26, 483–488.
Sullivan, E. (2002). Nursing and feminism: An uneasy alliance. Journal of Professional Nursing, 18(4), 183–184.
Woodham-Smith, C. (1951). Florence Nightingale, 1820–1910. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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