Commentary reframes ethical dilemmas in school nursing, suggesting a character-centered approach for clarity.
The thirteen narratives presented in this symposium reveal what school nurses already know: their work involves far more than routine care. These stories describe circumstances filled with ambiguity, pressure, and moral burden: situations in which rules or standard ethical principles do not fully capture what is at stake. This commentary reframes those dilemmas through a virtue-ethics and character-education lens, drawing on scholars such as Lickona, Arthur, Kristjánsson, Noddings, and Berkowitz. I suggest that thinking in terms of character—compassion, courage, practical wisdom, justice, humility—offers a more grounded way to understand how school nurses navigate difficult situations. I close with brief recommendations for school policy and professional development.
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Kristen Pelster (2026) studied this question.
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