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Nurses as Health Educators: The Ethical Issues

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Ethical Issues in Nursing and Midwifery Practice

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Abstract

Autonomy, or the right of the individual to self-determination, while taking into account responsibility for one’s actions towards others, is an ethical principle that has gained wide acceptance within democratic societies. The extent to which an individual has or can exercise autonomy is relative, as no-one has absolute autonomy. It will depend on a person’s capacity to reason and make rational choices, as well as having the opportunity or freedom within one’s environment to both make and act upon informed decisions. Creating and respecting the autonomy of an individual are two of the goals of nurse education and are values which are increasingly emphasized as the profession embraces developments in health promotion and moves towards a ‘new nursing’ philosophy (Salvage, 1990).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sydney, Australia

    Christine Chilton MA (ed.) BSc, Dip Soc Res, RGN (fReelance writer)

Authors
  1. Christine Chilton MA (ed.) BSc, Dip Soc Res, RGN
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Applied Ethics, University of Wales, Cardiff, UK

    Win Tadd PhD, BEd(Hons), RGN, RM, DN (Lond), RCNT, RNT, CertEd (FE), ONC (Consultant in Health Care Ethics and Education and lectures) (Consultant in Health Care Ethics and Education and lectures)

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© 1998 Christine Chilton

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Chilton, C. (1998). Nurses as Health Educators: The Ethical Issues. In: Tadd, W. (eds) Ethical Issues in Nursing and Midwifery Practice. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-14569-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-14569-0_4

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-333-71005-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-349-14569-0

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