Question

How does nursing job fits into the 3 continuums (wealth, prestige and power) of Weber's Multidimensional Approach to Social Stratification? and why?

Answer 1

Sociologist Max Weber developed a multidimensional approach to social stratification that reflects the interplay among wealth, prestige and power.

Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.

Nursing job can definitely fit in the 3 continuums (wealth, prestige and power) of Weber's Multidimensional Approach to Social Stratification because :

• Wealth denotes the economic situation, represented by income and the goods and services which an individual possesses.

Nursing job is not only limitted by working in a hospital so as to help the critically ill patients but also she can work in schools, judiciary, insurance companies, prisons, homes and in corporations. Nursing jobs are well salaried jobs where they can earn their living.

• Prestige or social status is the respect with which a person or status position is regarded by others.

Nursing is an honorable profession, and nurses are considered as the backbone of the healthcare system.Nurse have good status in the society as the nurses have good knowledge and qualification. Nurses are teacher, advocates, caregivers, critical thinkers, and innovators.  

• Power means the ability of people or groups to achieve their goals despite opposition from others.

Nurses play a big role in our society today. The nursing career has grown and now the nurses have the power to work on-their-own and decide the best care to give to their patients and even many lives are saved by the nurses.

Nurses advocate for health promotion, educate patients and the public on the prevention of illness and injury, provide care and assist in cure, participate in rehabilitation, and provide support. No other health care professional has such a broad and far-reaching role.

Nurses help families learn to become healthy by helping them understand the range of emotional, physical, mental and cultural experiences they encounter during health and illness. Nurses help people and their families cope with illness, deal with it, and if necessary live with it, so that other parts of their lives can continue.