Developing abilities of ethical reasoning is important both for an ethical world and for an ethical living. However, people are required to have understand the foundations of ethical reasoning before the advance skills on the same topic. It is unfortunate that most individuals confuse ethical reasoning and behavior with behaving according to the constructs of the law, religious beliefs, and social conventions. Most persons do not perceive ethics as a domain of its own, which could be defined by a collection of principles and concepts that guide people in determining what set of actions and behaviors could help or harm other creatures around them.
In this essay, I comment in the principles of ethical reasoning, which were acquired through this course’s learning material. Precisely, I include in the essay the reasons behind the choice of the topic, my experience with issues relating to the topic, the levels of impact that the topic has on nursing leadership and management, and the manner in which the topic impacts my nursing practice.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Reasons that Informed the Choice of the Topic
I did not have a hard time deciding which of the several topics learned throughout the course would be the most suitable because of the perception that principles of ethics redefine leadership and management in nursing. I understand the implications of ethical standards in decision-making, and I wanted to underscore my liking of the fact that managers always have to make reach decisions that are harmonious ethical foundations. I would also like to express my understanding that ethical principles and concepts are defined universally through documents such as United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and that the principles and concepts are trans-religious and transcultural. I chose the topic with the understanding that people should always strive to appeal cultural conventions and religious beliefs if they are to recognize that intimidation, deceit, fraud, assault, murder, racism, sexism, torture, genocide, and slavery are ethically wrong actions.
I feel that ethical reasoning is a topic of universal significance, which communicates its usefulness for all leaders around the world regardless of their specialty. People can find a wide array of critical concepts through the review of terms that are available for ethical discourses in every language spoken around the world (Doane et al., 2014). I understand that each spoken language has a synonym for the desirable ethical behaviors, such as kindness, open-mindedness, truthfulness, impartiality, honesty, compassion, honorability, which contrast the negative traits, such as oppression, brutality, cruelty, vindication, spitefulness, prejudice, hypocrisy, and others. I feel that ethics is a topic that surrounds every profession, which is why developing a critical understanding of the underlying principles and concepts is paramount.
Personal Experience Relating to Ethics
I have grown up in a background that treasures the ethical principle of honesty. The most memorable moment where I depicted high standards of honesty was when I wrote my college admission essay. I contemplated on what I should include in one of the most important compositions I have ever written. I knew I wanted to impress the board, and I would have easily done so through indicating an outstanding academic background in which I had accumulated a high GPA, but I knew that would be a lie. I did not want to impress through reporting things that I had never achieved, which is why I resorted to indicating the truth. Surprisingly, the board was impressed and it offered me a chance to study with the condition that I would strive to attain higher academic standards through hard work and commitment. Since my admission to the institution, I have stayed true to my promise, which has earned me the reputation of a devoted scholar. I sometimes reflect on the scenario and think that I would never had gotten the chance of studying at the college if I had been dishonest in my admission essay.
The Impact of Ethics on Nursing Leadership
As a nurse leader, one would encounter situations that require the application of ethical principles. It is for this reason that the nursing profession is regulated by a code of ethics that defines the mode of conduct between nurses and their clients and among the professionals themselves. Therefore, a nurse leader would be required to ensure that they lead the rest of their colleagues to interpret the underlying ethical principles, which would lead to the development of a workplace that values high ethical standards. The decisions that the leaders would make in such environments, consequently, would be pegged on the installed ethical principles. For instance, an ethical leader would be required to stick to the value of beneficence, which means that they should always strive to make decisions that attain positive outcomes for the majority of people under their leadership (Armstrong, 2016). Where the leaders fail to stick to ethical standards, they may find themselves in ethical dilemmas, which has the capacity of compromising the quality of the decisions that they make. Overall, principles of ethical reasoning shape the nursing profession through informing the right approach to making choices with high ethical implications, which make such decisions rational.
The Impact of Ethical Principles on my Nursing Practice
Having understood the principles of ethical reasoning, I am now equipped with the relevant knowledge that would transform my nursing practice. I am transformed in the sense that I now understand the role of a nurse in fostering an ethical workplace, which includes the need to have defined standards of reporting errors and other incidences at the workplace (Johnstone & Kanitsaki, 2018). I feel that I am now a better team player in ensuring a better working environment, which focuses on the wellbeing of everyone. The ethical principles that the topic taught me have a bearing on the quality of nursing practice that I engage with patients, leaders, and other stakeholders. I find it necessary to reflect on the outcomes of my actions and decisions on the whole nursing institution, especially because most of the principles drive me to focus on others. I am equipped with the skills that would make me adapt to different working conditions, especially because I understand that it is my ethical responsibility to work with people from diverse backgrounds. As I prepare to assume higher roles in my profession, I understand the value of ethics in leadership, which is why I will continue learning about the foundational principles of ethical reasoning and applying the lessons in my practice.
References
Armstrong, A. E. (2016). Towards a strong virtue ethics for nursing practice. Nursing Philosophy , 7 (3), 110-124.
Doane, G., Pauly, B., Brown, H., & McPherson, G. (2014). Exploring The Heart of Ethical Nursing Practice: implications for ethics education. Nursing Ethics , 11 (3), 240-253.
Johnstone, M. J., & Kanitsaki, O. (2018). The ethics and practical importance of defining, distinguishing and disclosing nursing errors: a discussion paper. International journal of nursing studies , 43 (3), 367-376.
