Abstract
This article presents a hermeneutical philosophical discussion about nursing practice in relation to professional ethics. The discussion focus on nursing theories according to Kim (1), Martinsen (2), Nortvedt (3) and practice as phenomenon as discussed by Vetlesen (4) and Applbaum (5). How far may nurses go in deciding for the patient? Can we as nurses defend what could be called »immoral« practice seen generally, just because we are nurses? Practice are judged »immoral« by Applbaum (5) as practice that normally not would be allowed i.e. letting a stranger nurse someone. This is allowed only because nurses do this in a special context. The question is how far nurses can go in deciding what should be allowed in this context. I discuss allowing »immoral« practice from the view of Løgstrup (6) and Schön (7) to defend the patient as a moral agent and a person in his own right. This implies the patient's right to refuse the nursing which are offered.