Exploring Poverty in Australia: A Nursing Perspective (UNCC100)

This opinion-editorial, written by a student, examines the issue of poverty in Australia and its impact on the health and quality of life of the people. The author highlights that despite sustained economic growth, millions of Australians live below the poverty line, raising concerns about the principles of common good and human dignity within Catholic social teaching. The paper argues that the field of nursing can play a crucial role in addressing poverty, given the discrimination and health inequalities faced by those in need. The author emphasizes the importance of nurses upholding the principles of common good and human dignity in their practice, advocating for developmental programs that improve the living conditions of the poor. The editorial underscores the importance of person-centered care and the need for nurses to recognize their responsibility in addressing poverty, with the aim of fostering therapeutic relationships and ensuring equal access to care for all individuals. The author believes that by maintaining human dignity and giving them equal to service the issue of poverty in Australia can be addressed.

Sonali Mahaseth
S00243632
UNCC 100: Self and Community: Exploring the Anatomy of Modern Society
Assessment 2: Opinion-editorial
Word Count: 686

Australia has reached the twenty-seventh consecutive year of its economic growth, yet
there are millions of Australian people living in poverty. There are more than three million
people reported to be below the poverty line which includes approx. 730,000 children (Colic-
Peisker, Ong & Wood, 2015). Despite of sustained run of economic growth, the number is of
great concern which raises a question in catholic social teaching including common good and
human dignity. Poverty has negatively impacted the health and quality of living of people
circumventing their needs and daily requirement. The field of nursing can be valuable tool
addressing the issue of poverty in Australia.
As the effect of people living in poverty they have to suffer from discrimination and
health inequalities. According to the principle of common good, every person should have
sufficient and equal access to the good and resources that are available to the society in order to
complete their basic need (Melé, 2017). However, in Australia there is high level of disparity in
allocation of resource which has caused high rate of poverty. Further, the principle also says that
every individual has the right to the personal possession and it should be balanced with the
requirement of the disadvantage population of Australia. There is the violation of the principle of
common good, where the people do not get equal access to resources and has contributed to the
high poverty. As the consequence of it, people living in poverty has to face various health issues
like cardiovascular complication, stroke, diabetes and mental illness. The high level of stress is
linked with poverty as it triggers changes in their lifestyle and behavior that cause health risk like
poor diet and smoking. There is low education level that is also concerned with the
unemployment. Thus, this reflect the need of giving priority to the people by nurses to maintain
common good and focus should be lied to developmental program that collaboratively work to
enhance the quality of living of poor people and promote common good.

For the professional degree of bachelor in nursing it is important to address the issue by
relating to the dignity of the human person in order to realize the common good in nursing. For
nurse, it is of prime significance to look over the people living in poverty as it is adversely
affecting their physical and mental issue. In bachelor of nursing, they learn to give respect and
treat people with dignity in order to provide them effective care. In the degree program of
bachelor nursing, we are given knowledge of giving equal care to the people irrespective of tier
caste and status and addressing their health issues. The issue of poverty in Australia has given
insight to the discrimination that is been faced by the peoples, and nurse can realize the
importance of common good and human dignity with objective to provide equal care.
According to the catholic social teaching every human being is the creation of god and
their dignity should be maintained. The dignity and respect of the person irrespective of
ethnicity, gender, sexuality, creed and age is the main pillar of CST. Such teaching gives insight
to the scope of improving the living condition of the people below poverty line by giving them
respect and love. It should be noted that poverty is the major reason for making the life
impossible to commensurate with the dignity. Therefore, by maintaining human dignity and
giving them equal to service the issue of poverty in Australia can be addressed. Nurse are
responsible to build therapeutic relationship with the people in order to make them feel equal that
can improve their living condition.
Nowadays, the issue of poverty is often ignored by the nurse, and do not realize their
role. In future, the catholic social teaching in the degree program of bachelor of nursing can be
helpful in solving the issue of Australian people living in poverty. By the availability of the
various program based on common good and human dignity, it is possible to provide person-
centered care. The key advantage of person-centered approach in such program is that it will

ensure that people are not treated as commodities and they get equal right like other general
population in future during delivery of nursing care.

Reference
Colic-Peisker, V., Ong, R., & Wood, G. (2015). Asset poverty, precarious housing and
ontological security in older age: an Australian case study. International Journal of
Housing Policy, 15(2), 167-186.
Melé, D. (2017). Virtues, Values, and Principles in Catholic Social Teaching. Handbook of
Virtue Ethics in Business and Management, 153-164.