R M Volbrecht. Prentice Hall, 2002, US$36.80, pp 303. ISBN 0–13–030521–9

This book is well set out; an initial look at the contents suggests that key issues for nursing ethics will be covered and that the range of theories is relevant to nursing today. Each chapter begins with an outline and ends with key points and reflection and discussion questions. This structure is helpful and providing reflection and discussion questions is in line with the philosophies of the current nursing curricula of my experience, giving students using this as a text opportunities to develop their critical thinking skills. The whole text positioned as “communities in dialogue” is consistent with nursing education and theories of nursing practice, making it a book that would complement many nursing programmes.

It is clear from the start that this is a book written for nurses, placing nursing ethics as distinct from medical ethics. This is definitely not a book for the purist, as the author demonstrates how different approaches to ethics can be applied to nursing practice. Three distinct approaches to ethics are addressed: rule ethics, virtue ethics, and feminist ethics. The author is careful in explaining the theories that she has chosen for each of these, using examples relevant to nursing …