ABSTRACT
Introduction We have already noted in an earlier chapter how a number of UK nurses (e.g. the infamous Colin Norris, Benjamin Green and Beverley Allitt) exercised callous lack of respect for moral values, for example one should not kill others. Therefore as a nurse you should remember the ethical principle of non-maleficence that says you should not hurt your patient. Respect your patient’s human and legal right to life. As a nurse you need to value the sanctity of human life. The lack of such value perhaps drove Norris, Green and Allitt to callously murder their patients (in Allitt’s case innocent children). Similarly, Dr Harold Shipman disrespected the ethical value of life preservation over destruction of human life so badly that on 31 January 2000 he was found guilty of murdering 15 of his patients and suspected of killing many more. Shipman disregarded his profession’s specific ethical and professional value to ‘maintain utmost respect for human life’ (Physician’s Oath: Declaration of Geneva, 1948. Adopted by the General Assembly of World Medical Association at Geneva Switzerland, September 1948. Online source: https://www.necef.in/node/6). For a fuller account of the Shipman case read the Shipman Inquiry Reports at https://www.the-shipman-inquiry.org.uk/ reports.asp.
