Studying the Reinforcement Effect of a Seminar on Ethical Practices among Pediatric Nurses

Aim: This study aimed to examine the effect of a seminar to continuously reinforce ethical nursing practices among pediatric nurses. Methods: This seminar was based on a 24-point pediatric nursing care model (PNCM) that provided specific examples of basic ethical nursing practices for children undergoing medical procedures and their families. Participants’ knowledge level and application frequencies, regarding these practices, were assessed face-to-face in the first session and via email 2 and 5 months later, using the PNCM checklist and qualitative data about ethical practices. Results: Results revealed that 8 PNCM items about frequency remained the same as the first session after 5 months;however, 16 items reported increased application. The qualitative data collected 2 months later suggested that the nurses could have adapted better to implement ethical pediatric nursing;however, the one collected 5 months later confirmed the effect of the seminar on ethical nursing practices with children and their families. The continuous effect of the seminar became more evident from the responses received 5 months later than those received 2 months later. Conclusions: The findings confirmed a reinforced effect on ethical pediatric nursing practice with child patients and their parents after 5 months.

Changes in Nurses'Ethical Practices in Organ Transplant Nursing Using Action Research

The purpose of this study is to investigate how participation in action research will change nursing activities in dealing with ethical issues experienced in daily nursing settings of organ transplantation. The action research here is comprised of four types of sessions: clarification of wishes (1st session), meetings to talk about matters experienced, study meetings, and reflections (final session). In the first and final sessions, group interviews about ethical practices were conducted. Recorded data from the interviews and 4th meeting to talk about experiences were analyzed using WordMiner1.5. Participants had the individual need, “wish to improve understanding of ethics in their own skills to promote ethical practices and ethical interests”. Then, they became aware of “ethical practice in placing importance on the relationship with patients/their families and ethics attitudes as nurses”. This awareness was connected to “sharing ideas and information with medical staff, awareness of and action suitable for ethics issues, and increased interest in ethics issues”. Like this, the awareness of ethical practices has expanded from individuals to the relationship with patients/their families and sharing ideas with medical staff, and this has developed into self-development. The findings suggest the importance of an organizational culture that addresses ethics to improve practical ethics skills. The findings also suggest that it would be necessary for an organization to take long-term actions to addresses ethical issues in wards or hospitals.

Confucian Ethical Practice as a Method of Creating and Sustaining Whiteheadian Beauty

I argue that Confucian ethical practice can be considered as a feasible method of creating and sustaining Whiteheadian beauty. I first investigate Whitehead＇s understanding of value, beauty and morality. Next, I show the affinity between Confucius and Whitehead in their understanding of value, beauty, and morality through an analysis of the Analects （Lunyu 论语）, focusing on the aesthetic aspects of Confucian ethics understood as role ethics. Finally, I argue that Confucian ways of moral self-cultivation can be viewed as methods that foster our disposition to create and sustain the beauty of experience.