Community health and ethical theory: implications for holistic nursing.

A conceptual shift from Enlightenment philosophies to communitarian virtues is discussed. Epidemics and preventing disease spread are used as a basis for discussing the major bioethical concepts beneficence, justice, respect for autonomy, and Moskop's principle of restrictive measures. The addition of the concept of community and communitarian virtues to the ethical analysis is discussed. Holistic nurses are challenged to develop and employ morally sound rationale for ethical decisions.