Fostering ethical competency: an ongoing staff development process that encourages professional growth and staff satisfaction.

The subject of ethics is integral to the modern practice of nursing. Research suggests that successful application of ethical decision-making skills is also integral to nurse satisfaction and, subsequently, nurse retention. The nurse manager is key to the development of those ethical decision-making skills. An increased appreciation of the process by which those skills are attained will assist the nurse manager in developing these skills in staff and thereby improve staff retention.