The ethical enterprise of nursing

This paper examines the ethical nature of nursing. Examples are taken from coronary care units. A critical view is taken whereby it is felt that nursing models do not truly reflect this nature. It is suggested that nurses make most ethical decisions without dilemma using intuition. The traditions behind using this intuition are examined. Such normative traditions may be summarized as teleological, deontological and axiological. Lastly, it is suggested that nurses would benefit in several ways from some education in ethics.