Decision Making According to Code of Nursing Ethics
Decision making according to Code of Nursing Ethics
The Code of Ethics for Nurses was developed as a guide for carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession. Nurses have many opportunities to be called as a witness and have an obligation to help all parties involved seek the truth. As the textbook stated, “...it is the nurse’s professional responsibility to provide accurate testimony, during both the pretrial discovery phase and the trial phase of a legal action” (Blais & Hayes, 2011, p. 91). The ANA Code of Nursing Ethics clearly states that a nurse’s utmost responsibility is to the patient. In this case, the patient is clearly the victim and the nurse in question is clearly at fault. So even if the outcome of trial maybe unfavorable to the employer, the nurse involved, and the institution, truth had to be told. For justice to be served a nurse’s obligation is to recall accurately and report truthfully. The Code of Ethics teaches us that nurses are to advocate and protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient. Furthermore, the nurse is accountable and responsible for individual nursing practice to provide best patient care, the negligent staff clearly failed her duty as a nurse. Finally, according to ANA (n.d.), “the nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action” (Code of Ethics, para. 6). Therefore, by telling the truth even if the employer and institution is adversely affected now, in the long run, ethical actions by the nurse will ensure the well being of the patients and in turn produce qualified nursing staff which will benefit the institution.
References:
American Nursing Assocation. (n.d.). Nursing World. Retrieved from
The Code of Ethics for Nurses was developed as a guide for carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession. Nurses have many opportunities to be called as a witness and have an obligation to help all parties involved seek the truth. As the textbook stated, “...it is the nurse’s professional responsibility to provide accurate testimony, during both the pretrial discovery phase and the trial phase of a legal action” (Blais & Hayes, 2011, p. 91). The ANA Code of Nursing Ethics clearly states that a nurse’s utmost responsibility is to the patient. In this case, the patient is clearly the victim and the nurse in question is clearly at fault. So even if the outcome of trial maybe unfavorable to the employer, the nurse involved, and the institution, truth had to be told. For justice to be served a nurse’s obligation is to recall accurately and report truthfully. The Code of Ethics teaches us that nurses are to advocate and protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient. Furthermore, the nurse is accountable and responsible for individual nursing practice to provide best patient care, the negligent staff clearly failed her duty as a nurse. Finally, according to ANA (n.d.), “the nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action” (Code of Ethics, para. 6). Therefore, by telling the truth even if the employer and institution is adversely affected now, in the long run, ethical actions by the nurse will ensure the well being of the patients and in turn produce qualified nursing staff which will benefit the institution.
References:
American Nursing Assocation. (n.d.). Nursing World. Retrieved from
References: American Nursing Assocation. (n.d.). Nursing World. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.aspx Blais, K. K., & Hayes, J. S. (2011). Professional Nursing Practice: Concepts and Perspectives (6th ed.). : Prentice Hall.