ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the ethical dimensions of mental health nursing practice. It examines some key ethical theories and frameworks. The chapter discusses how to apply ethical concepts to practice situations. It explains the implications of different approaches for the service user in mental health care. The chapter considers ethical ideas that are important for aspiring mental health nurses. It suggests how these ideas can be drawn on to help resolve some of the more difficult situations that may be faced in practice. Mental health nurses work in disputed territory. Coercion is a real possibility for many receiving mental health care, and the potential use of force by mental health professionals inevitably affects the nature of the therapeutic relationship. Nurses make ethical choices not only as citizens but also as professionals who are accountable for the care that they give.
