Nursing Social Contract Case Study

As one of the most trusted professions in society, nurses have a great deal of responsibility in providing astounding healthcare. For this reason, nurses are to be well-educated and follow the guidelines established in the social contract between nurses and society. Being a student in the School of Nursing at Loyola University Chicago, however, does not just mean following the nursing social contract but also emphasizing in our work the values established in the mission statement of the University and the School of Nursing. The mission of Loyola University Chicago and the School of Nursing are rooted in the Jesuit traditions of faith, justice, and service as established by Ignatius Loyola. There are many parallels that can be drawn between

Loyola University Chicago’s mission statement emphasizes the expansion of knowledge through learning and service (Loyola University Chicago, 2017, Mission). At Loyola, students learn together though collaborative efforts inside and outside the classroom. The University offers a variety of service opportunities for students as part of its Mission’s roots in social responsibility. With these opportunities students learn to work well with peers who have common goals and want to better society through their service and drive to promote social justice. Learning about service from Jesuit traditions helps nursing students specifically by teaching them how to work with others to better healthcare systems. Similarly, Nursing’s Social Policy Statement talks about training individuals who are interested in supplying the needs of society and the expansion of nursing and healthcare knowledge (American Nurses Association, 2010). The nursing social contract suggests that those who work and learn together in institutions have similar aspirations and are willing to collaborate to constantly improve healthcare systems. Jesuit ideals of serving together alongside those with similar beliefs go hand in hand with the social contract that all nurses must follow in their

At the root of Loyola’s Mission statement is the idea of global solidarity, making sure that students are educated and aware of real world problems as well as society and culture (Loyola University Chicago, 2017, Mission). Students at Loyola and in the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing are constantly taught to advocate for the rights of others and especially those who are marginalized. Nursing’s Social Policy Statement, therefore, is directly consistent with Loyola’s traditions of dedication to those in need. According to the American Nurses Association (2010), “quality healthcare is a human right for all” (p. 4). Nurses are taught to provide the best possible healthcare to all people regardless of cultural, social, or economic standing. Furthermore, Nursing’s Social Policy Statement claims that one of the essential features of the nursing practice is to “influence social and public policy to promote social justice” (American Nurses Association, 2010). This means that nurses are to advocate for not only all patients, but especially those who are being oppressed within society. In this way, the nursing social contract and Loyola’s Mission Statement hold the same core values and work to help make a more just