subject: What Kind Of Ethical Issues Do Nurses Face [print this page] As with other professions, nursing has its own code of ethics. In doing their jobs, nurses often are confronted with situations that require their best judgment about the right thing to do.
Nursing ethics is a set of common values and principles that guide how nurses relate to patients, patients' families, and doctors. In the United States, the American Nurses Association has published a Code of Ethics for nurses, which give general guidelines for nurses' ethical standards.
Medical ethics also naturally apply to doctors, but there are some slight differences between medical ethics for physicians and nurses because of the different nature of a nurse's job. The primary concern of the doctor is treating a disease and finding a cure. While this naturally is important to the nurse, in addition to wanting to see the patient's health improve, the nurse is also concerned with treating the whole person and helping to relieve his or her suffering. Some of the larger ethical issues that touch on nursing are end-of-life care and what place the spiritual aspect has in nursing. Nurses deal with ethical decisions on a daily basis, decisions that involve communicating with the patient and looking out for the patient's interest. When talking to the nurse, patients will communicate their desires, fears and questions, all of which the nurse needs to share with the rest of the medical team caring for the patient.
The ANA's Code of Ethics guides nurses through these responsibilities. The Code sets out the following basic provisions:
1. Nurses should practice with respect for "the inherent dignity, worth and uniqueness of every individual."
2. Nurses should always work to protect the health, safety and the rights of the patient.
3. Nurses should help to improve nursing by educating the public and promoting public health
4. The nurse is responsible for the delegation of tasks that will enable the best patient care.
5. The nurse has the responsibility to maintain integrity and safety, as well as continual professional development.
6, Nurses are responsible for improving the healthcare environment at the places they work.
7. Nurses are responsible for working with other health professionals to meet healthcare needs at the community, national and international level.
A code of ethics gives the nurse an effective guide when dealing with situations where the right course is not always easy to discern. But most important, a code of ethics provide protection for the patient.
