Search

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 1998) guidelines on research ethics are a laudable attempt to establish ethical principles for nursing research, but more relevant for protecting patients, clients and colleagues is the concept of a personal morality for nurses undertaking research. This paper examines the pros and cons of establishing ethical codes in research, and argues that the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) already sets a framework to which researchers, as well as nurses, must adhere.