Poor working conditions and the capacity of nurses to provide moral care

The capacity of nurses to uphold exemplary standards of care is being increasingly compromised by the poor conditions under which they are expected to work. Historically nurses have somehow managed to provide ethical and therapeutically effective care to patients even when circumstances have pressured them to do otherwise. There is, however, a limit to what nurses can endure - and to what it is reasonable to expect them to endure - when working in environments that are hostile to moral excellence. Social justice demands that the 'nurse question' be re-examined with a view toward challenging and changing the status quo.