Code of Ethics for Nurses free essay sample

What makes a code of ethics an important for nurses? Generally, a code of ethics serves and functions as a tool for professional self-definition. As nursing continues to strengthen its model of professionalism, the relationship between that model and a code of ethics must be seriously considered. The mere existence of a code provides a positive argument that a group self-identifies as â€Å"professional,† not just as occupational. In fact, the formulation of â€Å"a code of ethics itself is commonly taken to be one of the defining marks of a profession (Alexandra Woodruff, 1990). Professionals recognize that they must embrace specific responsibilities and obligations to those they serve to legitimately call themselves professionals. A code, then, functions as a reminder of these duties to both the practitioner and the public. Nurses in today’s health care environment are faced with multiple ethical challenges which are related either directly or indirectly to cost-conscious hospitals, managed care payment plans, nursing staffing problems, the looming nursing shortage, and complex medical conditions that affect not just individuals, but the whole communities. We will write a custom essay sample on Code of Ethics for Nurses or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the current health care delivery system, the relationship between nurses and patients has been challenged more than ever. Nurses face â€Å"ethical issues and stresses in intra- professional and inter- professional relationships not envisioned in years past† (Walleck, 1989). The code is available to help nurses navigate this new â€Å"moral paradigm† in an era â€Å"when hospitals have become marketplaces† (Curtin, 2000). The nursing profession is challenged to assume a new mantle of leadership and relocate the patient at the center of health care. The Code is the promise that nurses are doing their best to provide care for their patients and their communities while supporting each other in the process, so that all nurses can fulfill their ethical and professional obligations, as well as meet their own professional and career goals. In the midst of these challenges, the Code of Ethics exists as concrete evidence of nursing’s thoughtful and considered ethical commitments. Although nurses are still committed to caring, they can no longer â€Å"care† at the expense of being disempowered in relationships and systems (ANA, 2001). Good Governance The American Nurses Association (ANA) is a national professional association. State law, rules, and regulations govern the practice of nursing, while the Code of Ethics guides nurses in the application of their professional skills and personal responsibilities. ANA is the only full- service professional organization representing the nation’s 2. million Registered Nurses through its 54 constituent member associations. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public (ANA, 2001). Every state in the nation has its own board of nursing that g overn and monitor the practices of nurses within that state. Each state board of nursing have obligation to protect the public health, safety, and welfare through the safe and competent practice of nurses. It is governed by the state governor down to executive director of the board of nursing. Ethics of Social Purpose The evolution of Nursing’s Code of Ethics started back in 1893, the â€Å"Nightingale Pledge,† patterned after medicine’s Hippocratic Oath, understood as the first nursing code of ethics to the 2001 revised version of the code. It has always been fundamentally concerned with the principles of doing no harm, of benefiting others, of loyalty, and of truthfulness. The code has been focused on social justice and, in later versions, with the changing context of health care as well as with the autonomy of the patient and the nurse. What does respect for human dignity mean in health care and how will it be demonstrated? The concept of human dignity, flowing from the principle of respect, is expressed in numerous ways when nurses go about their work. The idea is based on the principle of respect for persons and is derived from the philosopher Immanuel Kant’s rationalist theory, as well the Judeo- Christian texts, that people should treat others in the same manner in which they desire to be treated: that persons should be treated as ends in themselves, not as means to an end. This attitude translates into respect for all people. Respecting all people means the nurse should honor human dignity in every encounter with every patient and other professionals. This can be expressed in small gestures. For example, the bedside nurse closes the room separation curtains while doing nursing care for patient privacy. It can also be expressed in large gestures, such as assuring patient autonomy through the establishment of conditions necessary to provide truly informed consent. According to the Code, â€Å"the nurse’s duty is to take action designed both to protect patients and to assure that the impaired individual receives assistance in regaining optimal function. † (ANA Code of Ethics, 2001). This is a form of patient advocacy and in some cases may result in whistle blowing.