Ethical principles in nursing are a guideline in providing a foundation for nursing practices. Here are the eight ethical principles: Autonomy refers to respecting the right of an individual to govern their actions according to their own reasons and purposes. Any actions make by an individual to promote the wellbeing and to prevent harm to others relates to beneficence. On the other hand, non-maleficence is the principle that obliges one to not inflict harm intentionally or unintentionally. Fidelity is the individual’s responsibilities to fulfill their duties and obligations upon the commitment they have made. Justice refers to the professional obligation to be fair, equitable, and provide appropriate treatment to all individuals. Veracity is the practice of an individual to be truthful. Respect is acknowledging rights of cultural differences, gender and racial concerns. Lastly paternalism refers to making decision for others without collaboration.
With ethical principles, it helps to establish a guideline of safety and success when it comes to correct decision-making.
Code of conduct serves as a guide to assist the ethical decisions faced by nurses and provides a continuation of nursing education. It also identifies the core value of nursing profession.
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From the case scenario, the nurse had breached the ethical principle of beneficence. The nurse was supposed to administer 2 doses of 40mEq of potassium to the patient over 4 hour time period but had
In nursing, a significant amount of professionalism is required when working with patients and their families. In addition, ethical principles and moral values are dynamic and appropriate attributes which a nurse needs to implement in order to ensure quality and standard healthcare service delivery. Professionalism impacts positively on the knowledge and attitude of the nurse which enables the realization of the patient's satisfaction. Furthermore, professionalism impacts on the attitude which is ideal and it is highly of importance as it strengthens good healthcare standards and compliance of
The ANA Scope and Standards of Nursing Practice include a list of standards. These standards are statements, which summarize what is expected from nurses in professional nursing practice. The standards form the foundation for decision-making and provide nurses with direction including which actions to take (Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2015). The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements aids as the ethical structure in professional nursing and offers direction for the future. The ANA Code of Ethics includes nine provisions, which summarize the main ethical ideas, values, and morals for the nursing profession and provides a guide for nurses to use in ethical analysis and decision-making, including which actions to take (Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements,
In this discussion, I will be identifying the nine provisions of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses. Furthermore, I will describe each provision in my own words. According to the American Nurses Association (2015), the Code of Ethics was established to be a guide for “carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession”. In my own words, I believe that the ANA Code of Ethics can be described as an ethical network of values and obligations that nurses must abide by to protect the public and produce the best quality care. In total, there are nine provisions found within the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses.
Amidst a whirlwind of change, nurses continue their roles as competent, honorable professionals. A relatively new issue, cultural integrity, correlates with the Code regarding “treatment of the human response.” The American Nurses Association’s “Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements”, also called the Code, highlights nurses’ consensus on professional principles. Nursing ethics guide how practitioners treat their patients and peers. Sensitivity to individual societal, familial and cultural background plays an important role in organizational integrity.
What is the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses? Nurses play an essential role in providing empathetic care for patients and supporting them in what may be some of the most challenging moments of their lives. With this role comes the complexities of working with patients at critical moments when they are vulnerable and dealing with numerous privacy and other sensitive issues. To ensure that nurses operate with integrity in their work, the ANA code of ethics guides nurses in carrying out their roles with the highest standard of ethical care.
Not only do ethical situations arise within the professional standpoint but also most workers who do not have day to day contact with patients do not realize that they must also provide care that follows the four principles. For instance, a chef that prepares the meals for the patients may not realize that the principle of nonmaleficence affects them, but if they were to prepare a meal that consists of nuts for a patient who has a known nut allergy, then they would be causing harm to the patient. Although the chef may not have been aware of the allergy, it is still could affect the treatment given to the patient if he or she has a reaction to the food. Although these incidences are where one principle can affect the lives of patients, there are also incidences where two principles do not integrate for the good of the patient. In cases such as Dax Cowart where he was in extreme pain, his one wish was to die; however, if he died in a way that could have been avoidable, then it would have been a violation of the principle of nonmaleficence, but if the patient wants to die, then it was support the principle of
D-The patient arrived on time for her session and informed this writer that she has decided to remain with the clinic as she learned on her own that no detox facility will accept her because she is testing negative and currently on methadone. The patient further mentioned that she is questioning as to whether or not her sister and her mother would help her as they said they would; however, the patient had a moment and looked back when her family did not help her as she struggled with her children. Furthermore, the patient reports, her sister did not give her the $80.00 for her rent. The patient reports that she had asked some guy for assistance. This writer addressed with the patient about her employment status and money management.
I know that in my 25+ years of nursing there have been many issues that have involved one issue or another involving ethics of some sort, but probably the freshest in my mind has to be the one presented a few weeks ago. We had a patient on my unit (step-down) that came in nearly unresponsive from home that was a 78 year old male. Family states "they found him like this. He did have multiple health issues such as chronic renal failure on hemodialysis three times a week that he had missed for a week, congestive heart failure, atrial fib (controlled), diabetes, history of CVA x2, c-diff on admission that the family states that he had off and on a few months, so mostly a very sick patient to say the least. He was worked up from head to toe and showed no signs of another CVA, his A1C was good, BNP for his CHF was really not too bad.
A nurse must keep up to date on education and new processes in health-care, so they can provide the best care. As a nurse, you have promised to give each of your patients the best care that can possibly be given. Nurses must follow a code of ethics, to act safely, provide ethical care no matter how they feel about the patient or the reason they are in your care. Following this code of ethics shows your commitment to caring for people and society, it is a guide of ethics and standards to follow to keep everyone safe. Nursing is also a wonderful opportunity to meet hundreds of people from almost every nationality and every walk of life.
All nurses should take positive actions to help their patients and to have the desire to do good. On the other hand, nonmaleficence is the core of the nursing ethics and it revolves around the idea that nurses have to remain competent in their field as to avoid causing injury or harm to patients. Nonmaleficence also requires all health care professionals to report any suspected abuse. The last ethical principle is justice. This ethical principle revolves around the idea that all patients must be treated equally and fairly.
(Elliot & Olver, 2008). The principles in acting with the best interest of the other person in mind, showing compassion and taking positive action to help others which relates to the second main principle being beneficence. Likewise, I will discuss non-maleficence, the core of medical oath nursing ethics the principle that “above all do no harm”.
Code of Ethics is very helpful guidelines which will help us to move in the right directions. Ethics in nursing based on individual values and morals and encompasses individual interpretation. ( Ethics in Nursing: Deciding What Is Right and Wrong. (n.d.).
The ANA code of ethics directs nurses to ensure that they practice with compassion and respect for dignity, uniqueness and worth of every patient. Nurses should thus provide care to all patients with the same degree of professionalism and compassion which does not allow for bias. Lastly, nurses should ensure that patients are presented with freedom from suffering. Nurses need to ensure that they are able to help or manage suffering from their patients. The suffering could be emotional, psychological or physical.
Utilitarianism and Deontology are two major ethical theories that influence nursing practice. Utilitarian principles of promoting the greatest good for the greatest amount of people parallels the nursing tenet of beneficence. Deontological principles of treating individuals with dignity, and promoting the well-being of the individual parallels the nursing tenet of non-maleficence. Utilitarian and Deontological principles can be utilized to resolve ethical dilemmas that arise in the nursing profession. The purpose of this paper is to define utilitarianism and deontology, discuss the similarities and differences between the two, and to address an ethical dilemma utilizing utilitarian and deontological principles.
These in particular will be case by case protocol. This section discussed four ethical principles which are autonomy, beneficence, justice and nonmaleficence. Autonomy defined as “freedom from external control or influence1 or the quality or state of being self-governing; especially: the right of self-government.” Self-directing freedom and especially moral independence are key factors in personal autonomy.