IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDENT’S ROLE AS A VALID ‘OTHER’ IN NURSING EDUCATION

Abstract

Higher education has undergone significant transformations in recent decades, particularly with the consolidation of the competency-based education approach, which has redefined the traditional roles of teachers and students. In this context, nursing education faces multiple challenges, especially for educators who not only transmit knowledge and foster practical skills, but also have the moral duty to convey the ethics of care.

This essay aims to critically reflect on this role from the perspective of the ethics of alterity proposed by Emmanuel Levinas, emphasizing the recognition of the student as a legitimate “Other” within the pedagogical process, acknowledging their “face” and assuming the ethical responsibility that this encounter entails. An excessive focus on educational efficiency may lead to the invisibilization of students, particularly in contexts of high enrollment and academic overload. A reflective teaching practice is therefore proposed, one that integrates students’ experiential knowledge and promotes their autonomy without falling into paternalistic or maternalistic approaches. It is concluded that recognizing the student as a valid “Other” not only strengthens the educational process, but also constitutes a fundamental ethical imperative of the nursing profession.