Moral guidance; moral philosophy; and moral issues in practice

Holt, J; Long, T

Abstract

Approaches to teaching ethics to nurses have been debated in literature for some years. Three issues in particular are commonly addressed: the intentions of such teaching; the value of examples and case studies; and the compatibility of philosophical approaches with the clinical
reality experienced by students. It is argued here that moral guidance as a strategy is unacceptable, and that a basic introduction to philosophical methods is the key to effective learning of the skills required for autonomous analysis and decision making. A means for including the use of personal experiences and case study material is presented which relies upon the provision of a framework of analysis to facilitate structured thinking and the pursuit of justifiable arguments. The approach suggested is compatible with students’ existing experiences and work-context, and enhances the integration of ethical reasoning into the multi-faceted totality of clinical practice.

Citation

Holt, J., & Long, T. (1999). Moral guidance; moral philosophy; and moral issues in practice. Nurse Education Today, 19(3), 246-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0260-6917%2899%2980010-0

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 1999
• Deposit Date: May 15, 2012
• Journal: Nurse Education Today
• Print ISSN: 0260-6917
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 246-249
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0260-6917%2899%2980010-0
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0260-6917(99)80010-0