Social responsibility of health care organizations and the role of the nursing professional

Exploring the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) implies a must for holistic and regulatory approaches to business ethics. Professionals, executives and employees must demonstrate ethical-based behavior in healthcare. So, the first commitment of the nurse must be caring patients, as without caring them, nurses lose their professional identity. As a result, universities should support the teaching of ethics, while stimulating CSR and values derived from practical training. Experience shows that the methodology of “service learning” seeks to promote the committed participation of students in the teaching-learning process, while delivering a quality service to the community. Correctly inserted into an experience-based pedagogical frame, ethics strengthens critical thinking, problem solving, and encourages solidarity.