Kerrie D. Garraway
Keyano College
Ethics in Nursing
Today people strive to leave an imprint on the world around them. Towards the beginning of adulthood people choose a path that allows them to take part in one of the integral roles of society. For those of us who choose the role of a nurse, we are expected to provide the best therapeutic care possible for our clients and instil lifelong health values into their everyday lives. In order for nurses to provide a consistent organization of care, I believe the code of ethics was developed. This paper will discuss the code of ethics and why it is important in the nursing profession. It will briefly describe the eight ethical values, …show more content…
However nurses are required to adhere to eight specific values as outlined within the nursing profession. The CNA describes these eight ethical values as: the ability to provide safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care, maintain the health and well being of the client, promote and respect the informed decision making of the client, maintain the dignity of the client, respect the privacy and confidentiality of the client, promote justice, be held accountable as a professional nurse and promote a safe environment. Each of these values surrounds an ideology that there is reason and rationale for each and every action we partake in as a nurse. They define nursing practice as a profession while further instilling confidence and trust for the client receiving care. As stated by Rushton (n.d.), ethics are seen as an obligation within the nursing practice. This paper will explore each of these values in more depth as well as provide examples of how nurses apply each value to everyday …show more content…
I believe that most people who adopt nursing as a career of choice do so because they are a kind, compassionate individual at heart. These values can encompass a vast number of actions both physically, and verbally. Some examples of providing safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care can include asking a patient how their day is, reciprocating to a hug when needed and engaging in active listening when the client wants to share with you how he or she is feeling. This particular section within the code also focuses on doing the right thing. If you feel like any part of the ethical code is being breached, you as a professional are obligated to handle the situation appropriately. A good example of this would be reporting someone who is abusing a patient either verbally, emotionally, or