title: Practical dignity in caring.
abstract: It is difficult to understand the meaning of 'dignity' in human rights, bioethics and nursing literature because the word is used so vaguely. Unless dignity's meaning is spelt out it can disappear beneath more tangible priorities. In this article we define dignity and show how this can help health workers to maintain the dignity of people in their care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, University of Tasmania at Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shotton
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seedhouse
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D032981:Dehumanization; D004645:Empathy; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D012649:Self Concept; D012803:Sick Role