Why teach ethics to nurses?

The Project 2000 diploma course has established ethics as a core component of the nursing curriculum. As a consequence there has been a plethora of nursing ethics books which justify their existence on the notion that nurses are recognizing the ethical nature of their work and seeking ethical guidance. It remains to be seen, however, whether the texts fulfil the perceived need. Ethics, it may be argued, is the current vogue; and the teaching of ethics to nurses is being given prominence. The aims of such teaching would appear to vary both between and within institutions but broadly seem to reflect the notions highlighted above. However, nurses do not approach this subject with one voice and much criticism has suggested that current approaches to the teaching of ethics to nurses do little more than frustrate students in their attempt to deal with matters ethical, and produce a generation of moral sceptics (Baier 1985). It is the aim of this paper to examine the rationale for teaching ethics to nurses.