Biomaterial Database

Nursing considered as moral practice: a philosophical-ethical interpretation of nursing. 1998

Chris Gastmans, and Bernadette Dierckx de Casterle, and Paul Schotsmans

Discussions of ethical approaches in nursing have been much enlivened in recent years, for instance by new developments in the theory of care. Nevertheless, many ethical concepts in nursing still need to be clarified. The purpose of this contribution is to develop a fundamental ethical view on nursing care considered as moral practice. Three main components are analyzed more deeply -- i.e., the caring relationship, caring behavior as the integration of virtue and expert activity, and "good care" as the ultimate goal of nursing practice. For the development of this philosophical-ethical interpretation of nursing, we have mainly drawn on the pioneering work of Anne Bishop and John Scudder, Alasdair MacIntyre, Lawrence Blum, and Louis Janssens. We will also show that the European philosophical background offers some original ideas for this endeavor.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009042	Motivation	Those factors which cause an organism to behave or act in either a goal-seeking or satisfying manner. They may be influenced by physiological drives or by external stimuli.	Incentives,Disincentives,Expectations,Disincentive,Expectation,Incentive,Motivations
D009723	Nurse-Patient Relations	Interaction between the patient and nurse.	Nurse Patient Relations,Nurse Patient Relationship,Nurse Patient Relationships,Nurse-Patient Relation,Patient Relations, Nurse,Patient Relationship, Nurse,Patient Relationships, Nurse,Relations, Nurse Patient,Relations, Nurse-Patient,Relationship, Nurse Patient,Relationships, Nurse Patient
D009726	Nurses	Professionals qualified by graduation from an accredited school of nursing and by passage of a national licensing examination to practice nursing. They provide services to patients requiring assistance in recovering or maintaining their physical or mental health.	Nursing Personnel,Personnel, Nursing,Registered Nurses,Nurse,Nurse, Registered,Nurses, Registered,Registered Nurse
D010343	Patient Admission	The process of accepting patients. The concept includes patients accepted for medical and nursing care in a hospital or other health care institution.	Voluntary Admission,Admission, Patient,Admission, Voluntary,Admissions, Patient,Admissions, Voluntary,Patient Admissions,Voluntary Admissions
D010358	Patient Participation	Patient involvement in the decision-making process in matters pertaining to health.	Patient Activation,Patient Empowerment,Patient Engagement,Patient Involvement,Patient Participation Rates,Activation, Patient,Empowerment, Patient,Engagement, Patient,Involvement, Patient,Participation Rate, Patient,Participation Rates, Patient,Participation, Patient,Patient Participation Rate
D010361	Patients	Individuals participating in the health care system for the purpose of receiving therapeutic, diagnostic, or preventive procedures.	Clients,Client,Patient
D010684	Philosophy	A love or pursuit of wisdom. A search for the underlying causes and principles of reality. (Webster, 3d ed)	Hedonism,Stoicism,Pharmacy Philosophy,Philosophical Overview,Overview, Philosophical,Overviews, Philosophical,Pharmacy Philosophies,Philosophical Overviews,Philosophies,Philosophies, Pharmacy,Philosophy, Pharmacy
D011361	Professional Competence	The capability to perform the duties of one's profession generally, or to perform a particular professional task, with skill of an acceptable quality.	Competence, Professional,Generalization of Expertise,Technical Expertise,Expertise Generalization,Expertise, Technical
D012067	Religion	A set of beliefs concerning the nature, cause, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency. It usually involves devotional and ritual observances and often a moral code for the conduct of human affairs. (Random House Collegiate Dictionary, rev. ed.)	Prayer,Religious Beliefs,Religious Ethics,Beliefs, Religious,Ethic, Religious,Prayers,Religions,Religious Belief
D003142	Communication	The exchange or transmission of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs between individuals or groups.	Miscommunication,Misinformation,Social Communication,Communication Programs,Communications Personnel,Personal Communication,Communication Program,Communication, Personal,Communication, Social,Communications, Social,Miscommunications,Misinformations,Personnel, Communications,Program, Communication,Programs, Communication,Social Communications