Sustainability as an Ethical Principle: Ensuring Its Systematic Place in Professional Nursing Practice

Abstract

Alongside the central focus on the persons requiring nursing care in professional nursing practice, the perspective of the sustainability of interventions and the use of materials (for example, nursing aids and hygiene articles) is gaining prominence in nursing decision-making processes. This contribution makes the principle of sustainability concrete and delineates its importance in the context of professional nursing practice and decision-making. It further suggests the development of an ethical policy in order to systematically ensure that sustainability has a place in ethical reflection and decision-making, and describes the elements involved. Finally, a synthesis is made between the importance of the principle of sustainability, suggested ethical policies (system of ethical reflection) as they affect nursing practice and professional reflection, decision-making, and practice.

Bridging Sustainability and Food Security Ideas Towards Building Sustainable Food Systems

“…The concept of sustainability has cut across various aspects of society and academic disciplines and has been used and defined in various ways (Palmer, 2003). Sustainability has been described as an ethical principle (Riedel, 2015), as a "traveling concept whose meaning changes" (Knauf, 2014: 2), and as a concept that has defied operationalization (Wiersum, 1995). The term 'sustainability' and 'sustainable development' are often used interchangeably.…”