Basic Nursing Virtues Nursing Research Paper

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Nursing: Nursing Virtues

Nursing Virtues: Nursing

Nursing Virtues

Virtues can be defined simply as the habits of character that predispose persons to do what is right and moral. In the nursing profession, virtues are the habits that promote and affirm the values of independence, health, respect, well-being, and human dignity. Four virtues have been shown to be central to the nursing profession and its practice: compassion, humility, courage and integrity. Nurses are expected to conduct themselves within the provisions of these four virtues at all times. Elizabeth Pask's article, 'Self-sacrifice, Self-transcendence, and Nurses' Professional Self' demonstrates perfectly how nurses can be guided by these four virtues to make the right decisions when faced with difficult circumstances in their practice. The subsequent sections detail how each of these four virtues influence an individual's practice, and what a nurse leader could do to support the growth of virtues and enable nurses fulfill their moral and ethical obligations.

Compassion: Compassion can be defined as the ability to empathize with another person, and be moved to do something to help remedy the situation (Crigger & Godfrey, 2011). This virtue of compassion forms the basis of care -- nursing care is all about developing an emotional responsiveness towards one's patients, and committing oneself to help them (Crigger & Godfrey, 2011). Compassion drives the nursing practice in every aspect; nurses are driven by compassion to offer care services to their patients every day; and the same ought to be the case even when they are faced with circumstances that place them at risk (Pask, 2005).

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Nurses are required to act with compassion and to affectively feel with their patients at all times; the virtue of compassion drives them to look away from their ego self and commit to something that is of greater importance than the self, that is, the well-being of their patient (Pask, 2005).

Integrity: the virtue of integrity has to do with being moral and acting in the best interest of the patient at all times. Integrity should not be compromised just because a nurse emphasizes with or feels compassion for their patient. Crigger and Godfrey (2011) give an example of an ethical dilemma where a nurse is caught between showing compassion and acting with integrity. In this example, a nurse feels empathy for their patient, who has been legally separated from her children because of addiction issues. She feels compassion and is driven by the need to help her get her family back; however, she opts not to because that would not be in the patient's best interest. What is best for the patient in this situation is to allow herself the time and composure needed to recover before she can embark on the stresses associated with family. This is a perfect demonstration of how the virtue….....

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