Moral accountability and integrity in nursing practice.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Bioethics
• Professional Practice

Background:

• Florence Nightingale's vision of nursing as an art and science.
• The foundational role of the ethic of caring in the nurse-patient relationship.
• Exploration of caring practice as a framework for moral accountability.

Observation:

• Moral accountability and responsibility for judgment and actions are central to the nurse's role.
• Nurses with moral integrity demonstrate self-awareness and act ethically.
• Literature review on caring theory, moral accountability, and integrity in nursing.

Findings:

• Caring practice provides a robust framework for understanding moral accountability and integrity.
• Professional nursing documents, such as the Code of Ethics for Nurses, underscore these values.
• Moral integrity is linked to self-understanding and consistent ethical action.

Implications:

• Strengthening the ethical dimensions of nursing practice through a focus on caring.
• Enhancing nurses' capacity for moral reasoning and ethical decision-making.
• Promoting professional integrity and accountability within the nursing profession.