RT Article
T1 Integrity in the Care of Elderly People, as Narrated by Female Physicians
JF Nursing ethics
VO 10
IS 4
SP 388
OP 403
A1 Nordam, Ann
A1 Sørlie, Venke
A1 Förde, R
LA English
PB Sage
YR 2003
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1779442033
AB Three female physicians were interviewed as part of a comprehensive investigation into the narratives of female and male physicians and nurses, concerning their experience of being in ethically difficult care situations in the care of elderly people. The interviewees expressed great concern for the low status of care for elderly people, and the need to fight for the specialty and for the care and rights of their patients. All the interviewees’ narratives concerned problems relating to perspectives of both action ethics and relational ethics. The main focus was on problems concerning the latter perspective, expressed as profound concern and respect for the individual patient. Secondary emphasis was placed on relationships with relatives and other professionals. The most common themes in an action ethics perspective were too little treatment and the lack of health services for older patients, together with overtreatment and death with dignity. These results were discussed in the light of Løgstrup’s ethics, which emphasize that human life means expressing oneself, in the expectation of being met by others. Both Ricoeur’s concept of an ethics of memory and Aristotle’s virtue ethics are presented in the discussion of too little and too much treatment.
K1 Narrative
K1 Geriatrics
K1 female physicians
K1 Ethics
DO 10.1191/0969733003ne589oa