Nursing journal, Vol. 31 No. 1, 2026.
Stručni rad
https://doi.org/10.11608/sgnj.31.1.3
The dignity and fragility of the human person: a personalistic approach to health and nursing care
Kristijan Pajdaković
orcid.org/0009-0007-0967-5433
; student prijediplomskog studija sestrinstva, Sveučilište u Zadru – Odjel za zdravstvene studije, Splitska 1, 23 000 Zadar
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* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
This article examines the concepts of human dignity and vulnerability through a personalistic approach within the context of nursing care. Its aim is to demonstrate how philosophical personalism can enrich nursing practice and deepen the understanding of the nurse–patient relationship as an encounter between two persons. Such a framework may contribute to the development of a more humane and ethically sensitive healthcare practice.
The reflection on human dignity and the fragility of life dates back to antiquity and continues into the present. The human person possesses inherent dignity but also a vulnerability that becomes especially evident in illness and suffering. The personalistic approach, alongside biomedical and holistic models, emphasizes relationship, responsibility, and empathy, all of which correspond to the core values of nursing.
Personalistic thought can serve as a valuable guide for the contemporary person in facing current crises, particularly crises of identity, helping one rediscover their dignity, inner depth, and authenticity. It encourages the growth of a person who is not a passive observer of life but an active participant in it. Despite the world’s progress, personal growth must never be neglected or regarded as secondary. In this lies the essential impulse of personalism: a return to the person.
Ključne riječi
human dignity; vulnerability; personhood; personalism; ethics; philosophy; nursing care
Hrčak ID:
346138
URI
Datum izdavanja:
13.4.2026.
Posjeta: 554 *