The primary goal of this chapter is to assist nurses to engage in a morally inclusive
practice. A morally inclusive practice celebrates what people have in
common as well as their differences and involves the action of whole heartedly
embracing diversity. Diversity reflects variations in belief systems and
ways of living and includes many things such as: ethnicity, culture, gender,
sexual orientation, age, religious and spiritual beliefs, socioeconomic position
and health status. Culture is more that ethnicity and permeates everything
that we do. Bullying is a negative but harsh reality of the culture of
nursing. Witnesses of bullying are asked to intervene and not to participate
in gossip. Returning kindness when confronted by aggression and standing
up for oneself are presented as positive ways to combat vertical violence in
the profession. Cultural competence is promoted as a way to help nurses
when they are confronted with cultural issues. Rigid world views and ethnocentrism,
or the view that one’s belief system or culture’s way of doing
things is the right and natural way, are identified as barriers to implementing
cultural competence into practice. Canadian residential schools are presented
as a historical result of ethnocentrism that negatively impacted hundreds
of Aboriginals. Cultural relativism is put forward as the polar opposite
to ethnocentrism and is akin to building bridges rather than barriers. It
is the attitude that other ways of doing things are different but equally valid.
The practice of the ethic of care aligns closely with cultural relativism.
Keywords: Asexuality, Bisexuality, Heterosexism, Heterosexuality, Homosexuality, Gender
orientation