Human dignity is a phenomenon of great importance to all health-related disciplines. For the professional nurse, human dignity is embedded in the ontological beliefs of a philosophical school of thought that guides the priority actions found in nurse practice. The common ethical phrase of doing the right thing is insinuated in the enduring truths of affirming human dignity in nurse practice. The author in this column examines possible meanings for doing the right thing in light of the ethical tenets of humanbecoming including reverence, awe, betrayal, and shame.
