The Ambiguities of Loyalty

Abstract

Loyalty is a complex notion. Recognizing moments of loyalty in nursing can encourage pride in the profession and thereby assist in elevating nursing as a profession. If nurses can appreciate the complexities involved in loyalty, this knowing might assist them in understanding personal struggles with loyalty when they arise and may also help in the understandings-misunderstandings that can occur when a breach of loyalty is felt. In this column, this complexity is discussed. Loyalty as a part of living quality is also highlighted in that loyalty is always choosing value priorities in cocreating living quality. Furthermore, the principles of humanbecoming are used as a guide to teaching-learning as well as recognizing loyalty in the nursing profession.