Ethics and Professionalism: Do they coexist or stand alone?


The concept of ethics in professional nursing practice does not constitute a new thought process. Rather, professional ethics must address the nurse’s own desire to lead a good life (Higgins, 2010). Isabel Hampton Robb spoke to what she believed to be essential in the development of nursing as a profession. Robb viewed the nurse as needing scientific education, as well as, high character in an effort to care for people on a larger social scale. She viewed ethics as providing spirit and ministry to the profession. This supported her vision of developing nursing into a profession, inclusive of a code of ethics (Robb, 1900).  Crigger and Godfrey (2011) believed that professional ethics and ethics in general are intertwined with professionalism, making it difficult to always see the division between the two. 

The reason for my dissertation grew out of a curiosity in this area.  I wondered when I saw breaches in ethics and integrity if those students would go on to become solid, professional, ethical nurses.  Could we, as educators, assure that they would make good choices when faced with ethical and professional situations in the future? 

So what do you think?  Do you think that professional ethics has to do with a nurse leading a good life?  Does scientific education lead to nurses making “good” decisions for patients?  Are we back to the character of the nurse?  Or do you think Crigger and Godfrey are correct in thinking that both professional ethics and ethics, in general, are intertwined with professionalism making it hard to view them separately?

References
Crigger, N., & Godfrey, N. (2011). The making of nurse professionals: A transformational approach. Sudbury, MA. Jones and Bartlett Learning. 

Higgins, C. (2010). Work and flourishing: Williams’ critique of morality and its implications for professional ethics. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 44(2-3), 211-236. 
 
Robb, I. H. (1900). Nursing ethics for hospital and private use. Cleveland, OH: Koeckert.

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