Challenges in Caring

The books published about nursing ethics usually discuss issues that start with the patient. This book addresses the nurse's personal and ethical development as a prerequisite to patient care. The authors start with the assumption that most people want and need to care for others. The act of caring then places the individual in a position where issues such as honesty, faithfulness, compassion, fortitude and respect for others are central concerns. The role of the professional carer is elaborated and explored in relation to the development of personal integrity. Key features of this volume include an investigation into ethical issues related to caring; the replacement of the notion of service and dedication with personal and ethical development; and central issues of abortion, euthanasia and suicide addressed from the nurse's and the patient's point of view. This book is designed both as a challenge and a comfort to those in the caring professions who aim to recognize and resolve their every day dilemmas. The challenge is to achieve the highest standard of care - the comfort is in the acknowledgement of the problems arising from the choice between sometimes unwelcome possibilities.