Nursing Ethics:

      A system of principles governing the conduct of a nurse.  It deals with the relationship of the nurse to the patient, the patient’s family, associates and fellow nurses, and society at large.

Nursing Standards:

      The criteria established by professional nursing organizations that describe peer expectations for safe, competent, ethical performance of professional responsibilities.  Standards are used to develop nursing curricula and job descriptions and to evaluate nursing effectiveness and accountability.  Documents such as American Nurses’ Association (ANA) Standards of Professional Performance describe general behaviors expected of all nurses.

Ethics:

      Is a systematic study of what you ought to do in a given situation. An ethical system is a system of ‘moral standards and values’ that guide right and wrong. These are standards that govern human conduct. Ethics do not give clear cut answers, only guidelines of possible behavior.

Terms…

      Morals: lessons of an experience

      Values: estimate of worth.

      Prejudices: preconceived opinion without adequate basis.

      Individual differences: influence our perceptions and decisions.

 

Throughout time philosophers have wrangled with the concepts of ethical human behavior. There are two basic schools of thought:

 

      Idealism & Realism

 

Idealism:

      1^st proposed by Plato 427?-347? B.C.

Belief that truth can be known by reasoning alone.

Example: Rene Descartes (1596-1650), spent his life trying to prove/disprove the existence of God.  All he could really prove is that God existed based on the fact that he (Rene) was capable of thought.  His most widely known statement, “I think, therefore I am.”  Idealist query: If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make noise?

Realism:

      Attributed to Aristotle 384-322 B.C.

      Opposite of Idealism.  It is the doctrine that material objects exist in themselves, apart from the mind's consciousness of them.

      To Aristotle, if the tree falls, it makes a noise, period. No one needs to be there to hear it. Sartre's and Camus' Existentialism falls under the general heading of realism. These philosophers would say: "I am, therefore I think."

 

 

Code for Nurses

      The American Nurse's Association has developed a Code for Nurses. This document is sometimes referred to as the Ethical Code for Nurses. The Code was first written in 1950 and has undergone periodic revisions since then.  All nurses are held to the Code, so it is a good idea to own one and read it. It's always nice to know the standards to which you are legally bound.

A.N.A. Code of ethics highlights:

1. The nurse provides services with respect for human dignity and the uniqueness of the client unrestricted by consideration of social or economic status; personal attributes, or the nature of the health problems.
2. The nurse safeguards the client’s right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential matter.
3. The nurse acts to safeguard the client and the public when health care and safety are affected by incompetent, unethical, or illegal practices of any person.
4. The nurse assumes responsibility and accountability for individual nursing judgments and actions.
5. The nurse maintains competence in nursing.
6. The nurse exercises informed judgment and uses individual competence and qualifications as criteria in seeking consultation, accepting responsibilities, and delegating nursing activities to others.
7. The nurse participates in activities that contribute to the ongoing development of the profession’s body of knowledge.
8. The nurse participates in the profession’s efforts to implement and improve standards of nursing.
9. The nurse participates in the profession’s efforts to establish and maintain conditions of employment conducive to high quality nursing care.
10. The nurse participates in the profession’s effort to protect the public from misinformation and misrepresentation and to maintain the integrity of nursing.
11. The nurse collaborates with members of health professions and other citizens in promoting community and national efforts to meet the health needs of the public.
12. Patient Advocacy / Rights
13. Advocate: Represents the therapeutic needs of the patient. 
14. Confidentiality:  Information the health care team obtains from or about a patient that is considered to be privileged and cannot be disclosed to a third party without the patient’s consent.  In some instances when the information is important to public health, it may be illegal not to disclose the data.
15. Patient Bill of Rights:  Mandates that the patient has a right to considerate and respectful care and to receive information prior to start of any procedure and or treatment.