Feminist Ethics in Nursing Research

Abstract

Nursing is underpinned by a commitment to evidence-based practice. Practitioners are expected to have the competence to understand scientific research that is underpinning nursing practice. Increasingly, nurses at all levels of training are involved in conducting nursing research. Research ethics is dedicated to reflecting on ethical concerns that arise in the practice of research. In this chapter, research ethical concerns will be discussed through the lens of core concepts from feminist ethics: power, vulnerability, agency, care and trust. This chapter describes research ethical requirements as situated in specific social and institutional contexts that are characterised by power relationships. It is proposed to understand research as relational where the researcher’s ability to engage in research activities that respect the participant’s agency, their establishment of caring research relationships and their trustworthiness are proposed as underpinnings for traditional research ethical requirements.