According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the Code of Nursing Ethics is a guide to “performing nursing duties in a manner consistent with the quality of nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession.” Ethics in general are the moral principles that govern a person`s behavior. Ethical values are essential for ALL healthcare professionals, especially nurses. Veracity is a cornerstone of care and something that patients depend on. Patients should be able to trust the truth, even if the information is troubling. Nurse education should include research principles, and each nurse should understand how to apply scientific work and research into practical standards. Care committees and board members are encouraged to contribute to health policy and professional standards. The ability to maintain standards of professional practice is expected to change and improve over time. The NMC requires nurses to keep their knowledge and skills up-to-date to ensure they are applying evidence-based practice (NMC, 2008). This means that nurses can effectively make decisions about caregiving in difficult circumstances using in-depth clinical knowledge and skills that enable nurses to be accountable for their decisions. The Centre is committed to addressing the complex ethical and human rights issues faced by caregivers and to developing activities and programs to increase caregivers` ethical competence and human rights awareness. The Centre demonstrates ANA`s ongoing commitment to the human rights dimensions of health care. In addition to using these resources, the nurse can take appropriate action when faced with an ethical dilemma by understanding and applying the ethical guidelines contained in the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, the American Medical Association Code of Ethics, the World Medical Association Code of Ethics, the American Nurses Association Standards of Care and Standards of Practice.
The American Nurses Association`s pronouncements, such as the one describing the ethical use of narcotic analgesics at the end of life, even though this drug accelerates death, the statements of the nurses` committee, and the code of ethics of the International Association of Nurses. The Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements is the social contract nurses have with the American public. It exemplifies our profession`s promise to provide and advocate for safe, quality care for all patients and communities. It requires nurses to support each other so that all nurses can fulfill their ethical and professional obligations. This code reflects the proud ethical heritage of nursing; An initiative that will continue, regardless of the challenges posed by the modern health care system. Legal and ethical issues are prevalent in health care, especially in nursing practice where caregivers have one-on-one contact with patients on a daily basis. Ethical issues range from organ donation to genetic engineering, assisted suicide, denial of treatment in end-of-life care or simple procedures requiring consent. Many nurses have no formal training in legal and ethical issues and are therefore often not qualified to answer these questions when they arise in the medical setting.xxxix While there are legal, ethical, and professional guidelines that dictate the behavior of professionals, this requires on-the-job training and the ability to be aware of the risks of making a personal decision about a patient. Nurses need to be guided in learning ethics in their profession to ensure mistakes do not occur. Because nurses have daily contact with patients in dynamic environments, ethical issues vary depending on patient profiles, developments in medical technology, and healthcare specialties.
Awareness of ethical issues involves rational reflection on the actions to be taken in certain scenarios and adherence to the principles that guide this behavior. Nurses are influenced by professional, personal, cultural, social and political factors. The core responsibility of all physicians remains constant to promote health, act in the best interests of the patient, prevent disease, eliminate suffering, and extend services beyond the individual to their families and communities. Online DNP students at Duquesne University learn ethics in nursing leadership, including the application of ethical choices to everyday work. The DNP program teaches students how to apply advanced thinking and observation skills to the most challenging ethical dilemmas. For nursing leadership and ethical decision-making to work at the same time, nurses should examine the ethical challenges their employees typically face and find the best ways to resolve the difficulties. Researchers in the Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine said nurses who practice ethical leadership in their daily actions promote positive behaviors in health care. Get the latest care news by subscribing to our e-newsletter.
You will be the first to know about news about care, hot topics and educational resources. To give staff the tools they need to identify personal ethical frameworks, caregivers should take the following steps: By collaborating within the discipline, maintaining the concept that health is a right for all will open avenues for best practice. The nurse understands the obligation to further improve care options through constant learning and preparation. A nurse`s ability to practice in a variety of health care settings may include unusual situations that require ongoing diplomatic and advocacy measures. The mission of the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) is to advance specialized care for serious illness. HPNA is the professional organization for palliative care nurses and palliative care nurses. HPNA provides training and certification to nurses at all levels, including Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (RNAs), Registered Nurses (RNs), Pediatric Registered Nurses and more. HPNA has many Special Interest Groups (SIGs) with online discussion groups. The organization has also developed a number of position papers to guide professional practice. Together with the American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), HPNA organizes an annual gathering for professionals. What is non-maleficence in nursing? It simply means “do no harm.” In other words, non-malignancy in nursing requires nurses to choose interventions that can be helpful without causing harm. Our nursing and health experts are ready to help you with any writing project, from simple writing plans to nursing theses.
“Ethical leaders must strive to lead by example and support ethical performance while being sensitive to moral issues and improving nurses` performance by promoting respect for human dignity. Thus, they can play an important role in promoting patient safety, increasing the ability to discuss and act on ethics in day-to-day activities, and supporting the ethical competence of caregivers,” the researchers said in “Obstacles and Problems of Ethical Leadership from the Perspective of Nursing Leaders: A Qualitative Content Analysis.” Express consent may be given in writing or orally. Implied consent can be presumed by a patient`s actions or used in an emergency situation (Pozgar 2005). Consent must be given voluntarily and never forced. Patients also have the right to withdraw their consent at any time, making it illegal to proceed. Free resources to help you with your nursing studies! The Centre for Palliative Care Advancement (CAPC) CAPC is a multidisciplinary organization that supports practice, research and education. Hospitals can become member organizations, and all employees of these organizations have extensive access to continuing education and other resources. Non-members also have access to CAPC`s countless resources. In addition to these principles, ANA has also provided this advice to nurses and nursing students who use social media:[10] National Center for Ethics in Health Care – Veterans AffairsA resource for addressing complex ethical issues in health care. Nurses need to develop an understanding of dignity in care and develop the skills necessary to make people feel comfortable and dignified in the care they receive. Lack of dignity in care can leave patients hopeless or embarrassed and cause unnecessary suffering. Dignity is a fundamental human right and should be a top priority in all care activities.
Gallup, Nurses Outperform Yet Other Professions for Honesty, Ethics Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, Obstacles and Problems of Ethical Leadership from the Perspective of Nursing Leaders: A Qualitative Content Analysis Lippincott Solutions, Best Practices for Ethical Nursing Leadership RegisteredNursing.org, Ethical Practice: NCLEX-RN There is a difference between morality, ethical principles and a code of ethics. Morality refers to the “personal values, character, or behavior of individuals within communities and societies.” [11] An ethical principle is a general guide, fundamental truth, or hypothesis that can be used with clinical judgment to determine a course of action. Four common ethical principles are charity (doing good), non-malevolence (doing no harm), autonomy (individual control) and justice (equity). A code of ethics is established for a profession and explains its main commitments, values and ideals.