**Selected for 2026 Doody's Core Titles in Legal/Ethical**
Learn how to think beyond the theoretical in any environment. Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing, 2nd Edition examines the latest trends, principles, theories, and models in patient care to help you learn how to make ethically sound decisions in complex and often controversial situations. Written from a global perspective, examples throughout the text reflect current national and international issues inviting you to explore cases considering socio-cultural influences, personal values, and professional ethics. Historical examples demonstrate how to think critically while upholding moral and professional standards, as well as the law. Key topics throughout explore advocacy and rights, diversity, nurse burnout, mass casualty events, effects of the COVID pandemic, health equity, social media, violence in the workplace, medication error prevention, opioid and other substance use, HIPAA, and healthcare reform. In addition, this title contains supplemental case studies and review questions to further challenge and prepare you to make morally sound decisions in any healthcare setting.
Key Features
Author Information
Margaret A Burkhardt, Associate Professor Emerita, West Virginia University School of Nursing, Charleston, West Virginia; Alvita K Nathaniel, Professor Emerita, West University School of Nursing, Charleston, West Virginia
1. Cover image - p. i 2. Title page - p. ii 3. Table of Contents - p. iii 4. Evolve Student Resources - p. iii 5. Copyright - p. iv 6. Dedication - p. v 7. Preface - p. vii 8. Acknowledgments - p. xi 9. List of Reviewers - p. xii 10. Part I: Guides for Principled Behavior - p. xii 11. 1. Social, Philosophical, and Other Historical Forces Influencing the Evolution of Nursing Ethics - p. 2 12. 2. Theories of Ethics - p. 22 13. 3. Ethical Principles - p. 43 14. Part II: Developing Principled Behavior: Acquiring, Internalizing, and Applying Moral Values - p. 65 15. 4. Values Clarification for Ethical Nursing Practice - p. 70 16. 5. Moral Development: Acquiring Moral Reasoning, Values, and Behaviors - p. 81 17. 6. Ethics and the Professionalization of Nursing - p. 94 18. 7. Ethical Decision Making - p. 110 19. Part III: Principled Behavior in the Professional Domain - p. 132 20. 8. Nursing Ethics and the Law - p. 136 21. 9. Ethics and Professional Relationships - p. 164 22. 10. Ethical Issues Related to Selected Healthcare Technologies - p. 184 23. 11. Ethical Issues Related to Patient Self-Determination - p. 214 24. 12. Ethical Issues Related to Nursing Education, Research, and Scholarship - p. 240 25. Part IV: Nursing Ethics, Global Health Care Challenges, and Social Justice - p. 251 26. 13. Nursing Ethics in a Diverse Global Society - p. 254 27. 14. Nursing Ethics and Health Policy Issues - p. 279 28. 15. Ethical Implications of Healthcare Economics - p. 293 29. 16. Nursing Ethics, Social Issues, and Health Disparities - p. 308 30. 17. Gender Issues and Nursing Ethics - p. 330 31. 18. Ethical Issues Related to Transcultural and Spiritual Care - p. 346 32. Part V: Power to Make a Difference - p. 363 33. 19. The Power of Ethical Nursing - p. 366 34. 20. The Empowered Nurse - p. 389 35. Appendix - p. 395 36. Glossary - p. 399 37. Index - p. 407
**Selected for 2026 Doody's Core Titles in Legal/Ethical**
Learn how to think beyond the theoretical in any environment. Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing, 2nd Edition examines the latest trends, principles, theories, and models in patient care to help you learn how to make ethically sound decisions in complex and often controversial situations. Written from a global perspective, examples throughout the text reflect current national and international issues inviting you to explore cases considering socio-cultural influences, personal values, and professional ethics. Historical examples demonstrate how to think critically while upholding moral and professional standards, as well as the law. Key topics throughout explore advocacy and rights, diversity, nurse burnout, mass casualty events, effects of the COVID pandemic, health equity, social media, violence in the workplace, medication error prevention, opioid and other substance use, HIPAA, and healthcare reform. In addition, this title contains supplemental case studies and review questions to further challenge and prepare you to make morally sound decisions in any healthcare setting.
Key Features
Author Information
Margaret A Burkhardt, Associate Professor Emerita, West Virginia University School of Nursing, Charleston, West Virginia; Alvita K Nathaniel, Professor Emerita, West University School of Nursing, Charleston, West Virginia
1. Cover image - p. i 2. Title page - p. ii 3. Table of Contents - p. iii 4. Evolve Student Resources - p. iii 5. Copyright - p. iv 6. Dedication - p. v 7. Preface - p. vii 8. Acknowledgments - p. xi 9. List of Reviewers - p. xii 10. Part I: Guides for Principled Behavior - p. xii 11. 1. Social, Philosophical, and Other Historical Forces Influencing the Evolution of Nursing Ethics - p. 2 12. 2. Theories of Ethics - p. 22 13. 3. Ethical Principles - p. 43 14. Part II: Developing Principled Behavior: Acquiring, Internalizing, and Applying Moral Values - p. 65 15. 4. Values Clarification for Ethical Nursing Practice - p. 70 16. 5. Moral Development: Acquiring Moral Reasoning, Values, and Behaviors - p. 81 17. 6. Ethics and the Professionalization of Nursing - p. 94 18. 7. Ethical Decision Making - p. 110 19. Part III: Principled Behavior in the Professional Domain - p. 132 20. 8. Nursing Ethics and the Law - p. 136 21. 9. Ethics and Professional Relationships - p. 164 22. 10. Ethical Issues Related to Selected Healthcare Technologies - p. 184 23. 11. Ethical Issues Related to Patient Self-Determination - p. 214 24. 12. Ethical Issues Related to Nursing Education, Research, and Scholarship - p. 240 25. Part IV: Nursing Ethics, Global Health Care Challenges, and Social Justice - p. 251 26. 13. Nursing Ethics in a Diverse Global Society - p. 254 27. 14. Nursing Ethics and Health Policy Issues - p. 279 28. 15. Ethical Implications of Healthcare Economics - p. 293 29. 16. Nursing Ethics, Social Issues, and Health Disparities - p. 308 30. 17. Gender Issues and Nursing Ethics - p. 330 31. 18. Ethical Issues Related to Transcultural and Spiritual Care - p. 346 32. Part V: Power to Make a Difference - p. 363 33. 19. The Power of Ethical Nursing - p. 366 34. 20. The Empowered Nurse - p. 389 35. Appendix - p. 395 36. Glossary - p. 399 37. Index - p. 407
