A pluralist view of nursing ethics

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Nursing Studies
• Moral Philosophy

Background:

• Current nursing ethics frameworks, including the Traditional View and Theory View, face limitations.
• The Traditional View inadequately addresses nursing's unique practice and concerns.
• The Theory View struggles with nursing's diversity and overemphasizes differences with other health professions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critique existing nursing ethics perspectives.
• To propose a pluralist, contextualist model for nursing ethics.
• To enhance nurses' moral agency and ability to navigate ethical uncertainty.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of existing nursing ethics viewpoints.
• Philosophical argumentation for a pluralist and contextualist approach.
• Exploration of strategic engagement with multiple ethical frameworks.

Main Results:

• Both Traditional and Theory Views of nursing ethics are found to be insufficient.
• A pluralist, contextualist approach is proposed as a more effective model.
• This model emphasizes strategic use of diverse ethical frameworks.

Conclusions:

• Nursing ethics should adopt a pluralist and contextualist stance.
• Empowering nurses to engage with moral uncertainty is crucial.
• Implications for nursing ethics education are significant.