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Nursing Exploitation Essay

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When I first heard the word “exploitation” many years ago, my mind immediately raced to pictures of bold and daring exploits and actions that took nobility and courage. Since the word “exploit” meant something seemingly so fantastic, then an exploitation must be equally heroic. On the contrary, as I progress in my nursing profession this term has begun to take on darker connotations. One would think that the world of healthcare would always operate under the purest intentions, seeking to heal the ailments of a suffering global population. This is not always the case, however. Sometimes the selfish ambitions of professionals creep into the innocent framework of healthcare, often in the form of what is called “exploitation.” David Resnik, a writer …show more content…

This population experiences exploitation on many levels from researchers. For example, an article by Colleen Denny from the NIH states poor individuals “are also more likely to have limited health literacy, which may significantly impair understanding of what certain medical procedures, such as a ‘biopsy’ or ‘sputum test’, entail.” Because of this population’s lack of education in this area, they may often volunteer for research without knowing the risks because of the medical jargon used by researchers. Because of this there have been multiple cases in which volunteers were harmed because they did not understand the ramifications of the research. Once again, this points back to the idea of giving honest evidence. I would go so far as to say the researcher who does not ensure the understanding of the volunteer has acted unjustly. To act unjustly, according to David Resnik, is to take “unfair advantage of the social, economic, psychological, or cultural disadvantages of the subject.” God affirms over and over in Scripture the importance of observing justice when dealing with those around us. Isaiah 56:1 says to “keep justice, and do righteousness,” and Deuteronomy 16:20 asserts that “justice, and only justice, you shall follow.” The Christian should seek to follow justice in his dealing with the lower economic classes by not taking advantage of their lack of education and medical

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