Limitations and alternatives: ethical practice theory in nursing.

Limitations in findings are encountered when a theoretical framework is selected prematurely to guide theory building. Kohlberg's theory, chosen by Ketefian as the framework for an ethical practice theory of nursing may not reflect the life experiences of nurses. While Kohlberg's theory calls for an ethic of justice, Gilligan's research suggests that most women make ethical decisions based on an ethic of care. An alternative to the premature selection of a guiding framework is first to describe the moral decision making of nurses and then to choose the framework that best fits the reality of nursing.