Martin Benjamin

Written by a nurse and a philosopher, Ethics in Nursing blends the concrete detail of recurring problems in nursing practice with the perspectives, methods, and resources of philosophical ethics. It stresses the aspects of the nurses role and relations with others -- physicians, patients, administrators, other nurses -- that give ethical problems in nursing their special focus. Among the issues addressed are deception, parentalism, confidentiality, conscientious refusal, nurse autonomy, compromise, and personal responsibility for institutional and public policy. The third edition hasbeen enlarged with new cases and case discussions related to AIDS and an additional chapter on the expanding scope of nursing ethics as it addresses issues related to scarce resources, cost containment, justice, and the possibilities of health care rationing.

Ethics in Nursing blends the concrete detail of common problems in nursing practice with the perspective and methods of philosophical ethics, describing the essential structure of moral dilemmas and outlining the skills and understanding needed to analyze them. The new edition has been expanded to include many new cases and new material on "withholding the prognosis," nurse autonomy, collaboration with physicians, integrity-preserving compromise, institutional ethics committees, "blowing the whistle," public policy and advance directives, and methods for evaluating ethical theories. From reviews of the first edition: "[Combines] philosophical clarity, well-chosen case studies, and careful analysis of specific problems....Particularly recommended for courses designed to introduce nurses to the ethical problems of their profession."--Topics in Clinical Nursing "A handy reference for professional nurses in practice."--Nursing Outlook.

Critically examining what most people take for granted is central to philosophical inquiry. Philosophers who accept positions on policy making commissions, tasks forces, or committees cannot, however, play the same uncompromisingly critical role in this capacity as they do in the classroom or in their personal research or writing. Still, philosophers have much to contribute to such bodies, and they can do so without compromising their integrity or betraying themselves as philosophers. Keywords: compromise, critical reflection, embryo research, integrity, organ transplantation, policy development, Warnock Committee CiteULike Connotea Del.icio.us What's this?