Imagine a nurse standing at the bedside of a patient, faced with the challenging decision of how to provide the best possible care in a situation where there may be limited options. This everyday reality underscores the importance of a guiding framework for nurses to navigate complex ethical situations. The Nurse Code of Ethics provides that framework, offering a set of principles to ensure that nurses deliver compassionate, competent, and ethical care.
Table of Contents
What is the Nurse Code of Ethics?
The Nurse Code of Ethics is a set of principles that outline the fundamental values and obligations of nurses. The code was developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA), the code is used by nurses in their daily practice to help them make ethical decisions. Since healthcare is constantly evolving, the code of ethics is reviewed and updated regularly.
The code was made in the belief that nurses have a primary commitment to the patient and a responsibility to advocate for their rights and well-being. It highlights the importance of compassion, respect, and collaboration in healthcare.
The Key Provisions in the Nurse Code of Ethics
The Nurse Code of Ethics consists of nine provisions that guide nurses in their practice. These provisions include:
- Compassion and Respect: Nurses should practice with compassion and respect for the dignity, worth, and unique qualities of each person.
- Primary Commitment: A nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, regardless the patient is an individual, family, group community, or population.
- Advocacy: Nurses promote, advocate for, and protect the rights, health, and safety of the patient.
- Responsibility: Nurses are responsible for their own actions and for assessing their own competence. They should always seek collaboration from qualified nurses.
- Collaboration: Nurses collaborate with other health professionals to provide optimal patient care.
- Ethical Environment: Nurses contribute to an ethical environment of the work setting and conditions of employment that are good for safety and quality care.
- Research: Nurses should participate in research and scholarly inquiry to advance the profession and improve patient outcomes.
- Collaboration: Nurses should collaborate with other healthcare professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.
- Professional Integrity: Nurses should articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of nursing, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.
You can read the full Code of Ethics here
Examples of Ethical Decision Making
Nurses are often faced with complex ethical dilemmas that require them to weigh competing interests and make difficult decisions. Here are some examples:
- Patient autonomy vs. beneficence: A patient refuses a necessary blood transfusion due to religious beliefs. The nurse must balance the patient’s right to autonomy with the duty to provide beneficent care.
- Resource allocation: A hospital is facing a shortage of ventilators. The nurse must decide how to allocate limited resources to patients in need.
- Confidentiality: A patient discloses a history of child abuse. The nurse must balance the duty to maintain confidentiality with the obligation to report suspected abuse.
- Conflict of interest: A nurse’s family member is admitted to the hospital. The nurse must ensure that personal relationships do not compromise their professional judgment.
How to Apply the Code of Ethics in Daily Practice
To effectively apply the Nurse Code of Ethics in daily practice, it is important to reflect regularly on your actions and decisions, ensuring they align with the code’s principles. Seek guidance from colleagues, supervisors, or ethics committees when faced with ethical dilemmas. Stay informed about changes in healthcare policy, regulations, and ethical standards.
Nurses should develop their ethical decision-making skills through courses or workshops. Prioritize patient well-being in all your decisions, while being aware of your own biases. Advocate for patients to protect their rights. Finally, foster a culture of ethics by promoting ethical behavior among colleagues and contributing to a positive ethical environment.
The Nurses Code of Ethics is a vital tool for nurses in their daily practice. It provides a set if principles that guide them in making ethical decisions and ensuring that they provide compassionate, competent, and respectful care. When nurses follow the Nurse Code of Ethics, they can contribute to a more just healthcare system.
