Moral courage: a virtue in need of development?

Abstract

antees the others.” However, Aristotle’s primary focus was on physical courage needed in warfare, not on moral courage. Moral courage is the individual’s capacity to overcome fear and stand up for his or her core values. It is the willingness to speak out and do that which is right in the face of forces that would lead a person to act in some other way. It puts principles into action. Physical harm could be a threat in cases of moral courage; however, the more likely risks are humiliation, rejection, ridicule, unemployment, and loss of social standing. However, this personal sacrifice often is accompanied by a sense of peace because the individual stood up for a non-negotiable principle. Moral courage enables individuals to admit to wrongdoing and ethical dilemmas steadfastly and self-confidently. Moral courage in the face or wrongdoing (“right versus wrong”) may appear initially easier than the ethical dilemmas of “right versus right.” Wrongdoing is best understood as illegal behavior or professional and personal misconduct, such as lying, irresponsibility, or unfairness (Kidder, 2005). However, confronting a physician who has deceived a patient on prognosis or confronting a colleague who comes to work impaired by alcohol is far from easy. When these core ethical issues of honesty and responsibility are violated or disregarded, the situation is labeled “right versus wrong.” In “right versus right” situations, ethical issues emerge when core values conflict with each other. However, ethics is not a hard science such as geometry. The principles used may blur into one another along the boundaries of the dilemma, leaving people wavering when trying to assert a conclusion. This conundrum speaks to the importance of knowing professional ethical obligations and non-negotiable personal values. For example, in the first instance above, the nurse has the obligation to support the physicianpatient relationship and to support the patient’s right to information for informed consent. The Code of Ethics for Nurses (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2001) addresses both of these obligations. In Vicki D. Lachman, PhD, APRN, MBE, is an Associate Professor, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.

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