Philosophical Perspectives on Trustworthiness and Open-mindedness as Professional Virtues for the Practice of Nursing: Implications for he Moral Education of Nurses

clarify the nature of trust have led to a series of distinctions between different forms of
trust as well as between trust on the one hand and reliance, confidence, faith, hope and
belief on the other. These distinctions are undoubtedly helpful in providing clarity, for
trust is indeed different from confidence, faith, hope and belief, but this approach can
lead the unwary into a pedantic cul-de-sac. Nevertheless, each has its place in aiding our
understanding of trust. There is little doubt that confusion between different meanings
of trust can easily arise, especially when (overly)simplistic distinctions are made. Thus
the first task of this chapter is to consider the nature of trust.

Once we have a conception of trust sufficiently able to account for both variations in the
capacities of individuals and for the relative differences in power between them that this
inevitably entails, it should be possible to begin the task of identifying the place of trust
and trustworthiness in caring for more-than-ordinarily vulnerable persons. Annette
Baier reminds us of the intimate connection between trust and vulnerability when she
states: “Trust... on ... first approximation, is accepted Vulnerabilityto another’s
possible but not expected ill will (or lack of goodwill) toward one” (Baier 1986 p. 235).
On this view it is when we place trust that we expose, or at least acknowledge, our
vulnerability¹, but this is to recognise only one aspect of the complex relationship
between trust and vulnerability. For it is equally true to say, as I have implied in my
earlier discussion, that it is because we are vulnerable that we must place trust; and it is
when we are more-than-ordinarily vulnerable that our need to trust is at its most
pressing. The received wisdom is (at least since the time OfFlorence Nightingale) that a
nurse should be trustworthy. Yet, as with other assumed ‘qualities’ that nurses are
supposed to exhibit, not only are the reasons why a nurse ought to be trustworthy
somewhat obscure, but also the nature and the expression of this trustworthiness is
largely unstable. Thus the second task of this chapter is to consider the place of trust and
trustworthiness in the practice of nursing. Nancy Potter (2002) argues for
trustworthiness as a virtue and tempting as this is, it is far from clear that it can be
considered a virtue as such for reasons that will be rehearsed as the chapter progresses. 1
will claim that while it may not be a virtue there is a logic in understanding
trustworthiness as a professional virtue in the sense that I have defined that term in
Chapter 1.

’ Baier is a little inconsistent at this point for in a later part of her discussion she notes that infants do in
fact demonstrate trust. I return to the issue of infant trust later in this chapter.

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