Moral Courage and the Role of Nursing Education

Abstract

In mid-December 2019, an ethics colloquium on moral courage was conducted, which prompted considerable interest among the clinical nurses in Suri Seri Begawan Hospital, the second-largest hospital in Brunei. The question and answer session reflected the sense of vulnerability that nurses might encounter in their daily practice. To be morally courageous, it appears that one has to be ready to accept the possible price of speaking up or raising concern about questionable and poor practices within the workplace settings. Overall, the session ensued in a meaningful and intriguing discussion, particularly when courage was regarded through a narrow and sceptical lens. As educators, there is a striking need for greater clarity on the role of nursing education in teaching moral courage and the long-standing challenges involved in ensuring that future nurses hold this value in realising good ethical practices.