Virtue ethics in health care teams; its time has come: Review of the nursing virtue ethics literature

Abstract

Aim To summarize and evaluate the nursing virtue ethics literature, examine how virtue ethics has been applied to health care teams, offer a new framework to guide understanding and development of virtuous health care teams and offer recommendations to nurse leaders. Background With the unprecedented levels of incivility and turnover in the post‐COVID‐19 world, virtue ethics may provide an innovative approach for nursing leaders working to rebuild healthy practice environments. Evaluation An integrative review yielded articles from eight databases using PRISMA guidelines. Level of evidence and quality were assessed using the Johns Hopkins tools. Key Issues Virtue ethics has been of interest to the health care community predominantly as a concept. Most articles focused on debating whether virtue ethics belongs in nursing. Virtue ethics offers a creative strategy for leaders to attract and retain nurses. Conclusion There is a dearth of research on virtue ethics and nursing. One study empirically uncovered and validated a framework for virtue ethics in health care teams. Implications for Nursing Management To rebuild strong health care teams, nurse leaders can model virtue ethics using an empirically derived framework while coaching their teams to do the same. Doing so holds the promise of reengaging staff and rebuilding healthy practice environments.

Towards an understanding of the embedded nature of everyday ethical reasoning in paramedic education and practice

“…Other healthcare professions have recognised the utility of VE in both practice and education with multiple papers arguing for its utility. 16,17,[30][31][32] However, there is a paucity of empirical evidence to demonstrate the uptake of this approach, although the few studies which have attempted to do so have shown some promising results. [33][34][35][36] This lack of evidence, however, should not be a reason to avoid pushing this approach forward.…”

Professional virtue of civility and the responsibilities of medical educators and academic leaders

“…For example, nursing unit managers or servant leaders who prioritised their followers’ needs above their own amplified positive behaviours and interactions, whereas unit-level virtuous climates were negatively associated with unit-level incivility 15. One recent review, however, concluded that there was a dearth of research on virtue ethics and nursing 16. Incivility is a potent threat to professionalism.…”

“… 15 One recent review, however, concluded that there was a dearth of research on virtue ethics and nursing. 16 Incivility is a potent threat to professionalism. As such, incivility is an unacceptable practice in medicine, and therefore, should be prevented.…”