Faculty Finds Success in Publishing as part of International Writing Group
The Glen Taylor Nursing institute for family and Society is excited to announce the publication of the article "The Banality of Data: Patient Records, Nursing, and Ideology" co-authored by Dr. Hans-Peter de Ruiter and Melanie Breznik, featured in Creative Nursing. This work explores the impact of National Socialist ideology on nursing practices during the Aktion T4 euthanasia program from 1939 to 1941, with a particular focus on how patient records and data were manipulated to depersonalize individuals. By examining the role of nurses, families, and societal pressures, the authors illuminate how bureaucratic systems reduced individuals to data points to justify atrocities. The article utilizes Hannah Arendt's concept of the "banality of evil" to reveal how ordinary people became agents of such actions through adherence to institutional protocols.
The article emphasizes the role of family in resisting depersonalization and explores the broader societal implications of these historical events. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing ethical challenges in healthcare and the potential for data misuse today.
We invite you to read this impactful work and reflect on its relevance to family-centered care and the ethical dimensions of nursing practice. The full article is available here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/10784535241277856.
The Glen Taylor Nursing Institute for Family and Society is proud to support this vital contribution to understanding the intersection of family, society, and healthcare.
