Culture, mortality, and ethics. Twirling the spindle

Abstract

A clear account of the relationship of mortality to culture can improve understanding of ethical issues in health care. Ethics as an area of scholarly study can also be distinguished from morality and culture. This article clarifies the relationships among institutional culture, mortality, and ethics scholarship. Nurses who understand that mortality is part of culture can engage in a variety of activities to improve the moral qualities of institutional culture in hospital settings.