Understanding Virtuous Person-Centred Nursing Care: A Neo-Aristotelean Perspective.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Moral Philosophy
• Virtue Ethics

Background:

• Professional ethics codes often adopt an intellectualist approach to moral decision-making.
• This approach assumes impartial reasoning dictates ethical goals and means.
• This overlooks the role of character and non-rational virtues in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue that professional nursing ethics is shaped by character and non-rational virtues.
• To explore the relationship between practical wisdom (phronesis) and virtue in ethical decision-making.
• To highlight the importance of affective components in person-centered care.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics interpretations.
• Explication of concepts like phronesis and non-rational virtues.
• Illustration using Irurita's typology of hands to represent care components.

Main Results:

• Moral decision-making in mature nurses involves intellectual virtues and impartial deliberation, but the ultimate goal is determined by character.
• Non-rational virtues, like nursing dispositions, are triggered automatically in morally salient situations.
• Practical wisdom (phronesis) guides means and is interdependent with virtue.

Conclusions:

• Ethical codes may misinterpret phronesis, potentially prioritizing technical expertise over holistic, person-centered care.
• Person-centered care necessitates both technical competence and an emotional/affective component.
• Effective care requires the integration of thought and feeling, supported by virtuous moral character.