Feminist Theory and Its Assumptions in Nursing Practice

Introduction to Feminist Theory and Nursing

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).

Historical Development of Feminist Theory

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 and Feminist Critique

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.

Conclusion: Feminism's Critical Role in Redefining Nursing

All in all, the feminist approach to nursing concepts is largely a critical one. For some concepts, such as health, feminist theory supports nurses by promoting greater professional equality among all medical healthcare professionals. On the other hand, the aspects of environment and family tend to rest on traditionally feminine and womanly characteristics, which reinforces the stereotype of the nurturing nurse and pushes nurses back into an oppressed and undervalued position.

Although environment and health are essential to nursing practice, education and training hold equal importance. Nurses face discrimination across the world, and it is precisely for this reason that feminist approaches are needed to redefine and reassert the value and importance of nurses in today's medical landscape.

References

Allan, H. (1993). Feminism: A concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18, 1547–1553.

Bent, K. (1993). Perspectives on critical and feminist theory in developing nursing praxis. Journal of Professional Nursing, 9(5), 296–303.

Hoffmann, F. (1991). Feminism and nursing. NWSA Journal, 3(1), 53–69.

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.