Abstract

What does it mean to be a good professional? What is the role of courage in professional life? How do we develop the moral qualities of respectfulness, justice and care?
Firmly rooted in practice, this book is a timely exploration of the nature and value of a virtue-based approach to ethics in health and social care.
 
Skilfully drawing on relevant moral philosophical literature, Part I offers a clear yet critical account of virtue ethics. Virtue ethics bases ethical evaluations on the moral qualities or character traits of professional practitioners. This approach, the authors argue, is a vital counter-balance to the recent emphasis in professional ethics on the regulation of conduct by rules and procedures.
Part II explores the key virtues of professional wisdom, courage, respectfulness, care, trustworthiness, justice and integrity. Each chapter starts with examples from practice and ends with strategies for cultivating these key virtues in education and practice.

Ethics in Professional Life is a challenging and original text that is ideal reading for all students, practitioners and academics in the field of health and social care.

'Students will find this text invaluable in attempting to demystify the complexities of this theoretical viewpoint. It is a much needed alternative to the more traditional four principle based paradigm' - Julie Woodley, University of West England, UK

"The authors have been very successful in tackling an interesting and potentially valuable approach to furthering understanding of ethics in professional practice"- Janice Wood-Harper, University of Salford, UK

Firmly rooted in practice, this book is a timely exploration of the nature and value of a virtue-based approach to ethics in health and social care. We hear the voices of practitioners and service users speaking about their everyday encounters and ethical challenges, and strategies for cultivating these virtues in education and practice.
SARAH BANKS is Professor in the School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University, UK and is co-editor of the journal, Ethics and Social Welfare. She has researched and published extensively in the field of professional ethics, particularly in relation to social, community and youth work. 
ANN GALLAGHER is Senior Research Fellow in the Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, Kingston University and St George's University of London. She is a member of several clinical and research ethics committees and of the editorial and advisory boards of Nursing Ethics and Ethics and Social Welfare. Her research and publications are in the field of applied and professional ethics.