Complex issues and concerns are inevitable in any professional practice, and nursing practice is no exception. In complicated situations, it is important for an individual to make use of the codes of ethics associated with their profession for ethical decision-making and the betterment of the outcome. In nursing profession there are international codes of ethics for nurses that are in place which have been designed to help them deal with everyday ethical dilemmas. However, a national code of ethics is equally important since it provides further for nurses in their professionalism, as they practice their primary role of caring for the patient (Porter, 2013). The American Nurses Association therefore comprehensively reviewed the 1985 code for nurses in 1995 and a Code of Ethics for Nurses was released in 2001. Knowledge of the code of ethics is therefore important and incorporating them in professional decision making is paramount for the nurses (Fowler, 2017).
Providing their clients/patients with the best quality healthcare is the major responsibility of a nurse. Practicing in accordance with the tenets is a pre-requisite for effective delivery of nursing care to the patient (“American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics - VCU Nursing - Virginia Commonwealth University Health System | VCU Health”, n.d). With this in mind, in my nursing practice, I will focus on promoting, advocating for and protecting the health of my patients. In addition to this, I will strive to safeguard the rights of my clients. This tenet is important in nursing practice because it provides the nurses with a guide what encompasses patients’ care. In general terms, nurses are considered ambassadors of health and wellness. Not only do they care for the sick, but they also care for those that are in good health. As a nurse, I will ensure I guide my clients on how they can have control over their own health as well as help them improve it. To ensure health promotion, giving patients the necessary information about their health and how to stay healthy through education is essential. However information dissemination does not have to involve an intervention/teaching session. It can be done as one performs their day to day responsibilities. For instance, during the normal activities that a nurse performs such as dressing a wound ulcer of a diabetic patient, the nurse may take the opportunity and discuss with the patient about blood sugar control and ways in which diabetes can be controlled. Moreover, when a nurse visits a given family for a newborn’s routine checkup, he/she may take the opportunity to educate the family on the importance of childhood vaccine schedule. It is activities such as these that encompass the health promotion role of a nurse.
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Considering the advocacy role of nurses, they are responsible for helping and ensuring that the patient has a right to make informed decisions about their health. This best applies if a patient is alert and competent. For instance, a patient may refuse to take medications. In this case, it’s the role of the nurse to explain to the patient the importance of adhering to medications and help them make the right decision. Patient advocacy also involves prioritizing the needs of the patient over the needs of the patient’s family. For example when a patient has a terminal illness, the family may might disagree with the comfort needs of the patients where they may focus on strategies that may help in prolonging the life of the patient. In such instances, the nurse has the duty of prioritizing on the needs of the patient. Safeguarding the rights of a patient should be at the frontline in nursing practice. In this professional practice one should be able to put personal feelings aside and focus on the health of the patients. Advocacy also applies when nurses advices the patients and their families on where they can acquire health resources at lower costs.
A fundamental human right that every individual should be able to experience every single day is human dignity (Porter, 2013). This has been emphasized in numerous nursing fields. A dignified respectful attitude towards others without considering their social or economic status, health problems or personal attributes is critical in nursing practice (Fowler, 2017). Respecting colleagues and patients is important. Understanding that each person is unique as an individual will enable me improve the quality of care that I offer to my patients, as well as relate with other professionals effectively. Additionally, understanding of everyone’s uniqueness can help in provision of personalized care to the patients. This tenet is important in nursing practice because it ensures that treating others unfairly is not tolerated in nursing. Interacting with patients, more so, those that are vulnerable such as those undergoing surgery can create a feeling of value and comfort. It is the accountability of a nurse to have zero tolerance for any form of abuse against anyone (Fowler, 2017). To ensure I practice in accordance with this tenet, I will not in any case compromise a patient’s personal space, nor disclose any confidential information about a discussion with a patient or a colleague. An example of application of this in practice is in instances where due to cultural or religious beliefs, a female patient chooses to be served by a female clinician. Cases such as these require efficient understanding without judging the patients beliefs. In addition, cases that involve breaking of bad news requires understanding since people process things differently.
In conclusion, ethics is an important part of every profession and most especially the nursing profession. The tenets ensure that nurses serve the community effectively, while guiding them on how they should handle complex cases.
References
American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics - VCU Nursing - Virginia Commonwealth University Health System | VCU Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.vcuhealth.org/for-medical-professionals/nursing/about-nursing-at-vcu/ana-code-ethics
Fowler, M. D. (2017). Faith and Ethics, Covenant and Code: The 2015 Revision of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. Journal of Christian Nursing , 34 (4), 216-224. doi:10.1097/cnj.0000000000000419
Porter, R. B. (2013). The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association , 5 (1), 31-34. doi:10.1097/jdn.0b013e31827d9eaa
