Integrating Sound Moral Principles into Practice

Moral principles are a set of ethical values that are used to guide decision making in practice. In Chapter Two an important connection between the ethic of care, nursing practice and key moral principles is made evident. Integrity consists of integrating honest ways consistently into one’s everyday actions and is the moral principle that guarantees all other values. Veracity, which is the duty to tell the truth, and fidelity, which is about being loyal, are both related to integrity. Nurses are expected to view all people as worthy of dignity. They are cautioned to avoid blaming the victim because it holds people burdened by social conditions as accountable for their own situations. Beneficence is the obligation to do what will benefit the client and non-maleficence is the duty to prevent harm. However, sometimes medical interventions with known associated risks are utilized prior to considering less harmful options. Autonomy is having the freedom to make choices and nurses are expected to do their best to ensure that client autonomy is honoured as much as possible. Nurses are encouraged to be morally courageous which consists of performing the ethical right action even in the face of opposition. The seven key attributes of a morally courageous nurse are identified. Although impediments to moral courage do exist, nurses are inspired to develop strategies to overcome them. The Case in Point at the end of the Chapter is particularly challenging. A nurse is expected to practice non-maleficence while taking care of a client who is accused of a brutal crime.

Keywords: Autonomy, Advocacy, Beneficence, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), Fidelity, Integrity, Moral principles, Moral courage, Mental Health Act, Non-maleficence, Paternalism, Parentalism, Respect for self-worth, Veracity.