Teaching civility to undergraduate nursing students using a virtue ethics-based curriculum

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Ethics
• Virtue Ethics

Background:

• Professional nursing standards mandate respectful interactions among nurses and with clients.
• Incivility among nurses is prevalent, despite ethical codes, negatively impacting the profession.
• Existing strategies for teaching civility to nursing students are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose virtue ethics as a philosophical framework for teaching civility to undergraduate nursing students.
• To provide pedagogical strategies for nurse educators to foster civility.
• To prepare nursing students for healthy professional relationships and contribute to positive work environments.

Main Methods:

• This article presents a philosophical argument for virtue ethics in nursing education.
• It outlines pedagogical strategies for integrating virtue ethics into the curriculum.
• The focus is on developing character and ethical reasoning for professional conduct.

Main Results:

• The proposed virtue ethics framework offers a novel approach to teaching civility.
• Pedagogical strategies can equip nursing students with tools for respectful interaction.
• Implementing these strategies may foster healthier nursing workplaces.

Conclusions:

• Virtue ethics provides a robust philosophical foundation for teaching nursing civility.
• Educators can utilize proposed strategies to cultivate ethical behavior in students.
• This approach has the potential to improve nurse-to-nurse relationships and workplace culture.