Definition Of Virtue Ethics In Nursing
Originally adopted in 1950 the code is used in challenging situations and is considered to be non negotiable the code was revised in 2015 and includes interpretive statements which can provide specific guidance for nurses in.
Definition of virtue ethics in nursing. Rationale for a virtue ethics approach to moral decision making in nursing. Another valuable resource for nurses is the american nurses association ana code of ethics. Virtue ethics is a framework that focuses on the character of the moral agent rather than the rightness of an action. Virtue ethics is one of the three major approaches to normative ethics often contrasted to deontology which emphasizes duty to rules and consequentialism which derives rightness or wrongness from the.
There are three types of normative theories. I develop an account of a virtue based helping relationship and a virtue based approach to nursing. It is becoming a certain kind of person. Virtue ethics is person rather than action based.
A right act is the action a virtuous person would do in the same. It looks at the moral character of the person carrying out an action. In addition i will look at the nature of virtue ethics and focus particularly on the central characteristics of virtue ethics such as the concepts of virtue and virtuousness the nature of humanbeing and the telos or the good. In this article i argue that virtue ethics as an approach which focus of the character of a person might provide a more holistic analysis of moral dilemmas in nursing and might facilitate more flexible and creative solutions when combined with other theories of moral decision making.
Normative ethics an approach to ethics that works from standards of right or good action. Virtue ethics emphasizes the role of one s character and the virtues that one s character embodies for determining or evaluating ethical behavior. Virtue also is important because it reminds us that nursing is reflective practice nursing is not just delivering something to the patient. Adult morality is not just knowing about ethics but having it within us.
A virtue ethics for nursing is therefore concerned with the character of individual nurses and seeks ways to enable nurses to develop character traits appropriate for. I examine the work of hursthouse on virtue ethics action guidance and the v rules. Virtue ethics is an approach that focuses on character with the assumption that a person of good character will tend to behave in ways that are consistent with their character. Nursing code of ethics.
I argue that the moral virtues and a strong action guiding version of virtue ethics provide a plausible and viable alternative for nursing practice.