Ethics is a critical part of the nursing foundation. The nursing profession is a dynamic and technical profession that is highly trusted mainly because of their primary role, which is the protection of patients and provision of health care services which improve the well-being of the patient. Right from the ancient times, nurses have been known to take care of the injured, the sick, as well as the vulnerable in societies. The nursing role encompasses a wide range of practices including disease prevention, alleviation of suffering, as well as promotion and restoration of health. To competently perform this role, nurses are required to live up the ethical guidelines. These ethical guidelines help them tackle the everyday challenge that they face and hence promote the provision of quality care to communities (Chadwick & Gallagher, 2016). The primary focus of ethics is not whether nurses encounter challenges during the profession, but how they respond to these challenges. Therefore, nurses are expected to perform as per moral norms and ideals of the profession. In addition to this, nurses are expected to embrace the meaning of being a nurse.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses provides guidelines for nurses where it outlines the professional obligations and duties of nurses. It also gives a non-negotiable standard of practice, with which nurses are expected to serve the society (“VCU Health”, n.d.). One of the main reasons why I value the ANA Code of Ethics is its emphasis on cultural diversity. Understanding different cultures and respecting people from diverse cultures is a responsibility for all nurses. Moreover, nurses are expected to treat their patients with dignity and also respect them and protect their rights. It is their responsibility to create an environment where there is respect between the healthcare professionals and the patient. Patients entrust their lives to nurse, and therefore nurses are expected to guard the patients’ privacy and attend to their care competently. Besides taking care of the patients, nurses are also expected to take care of the patients’ families, by providing loving care and professional information with regards to the patients’ progress (Porter, 2013).
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In nursing care, nurses may be faced with situations where they may find it justifiable to feel prejudice towards a specific individual. For instance, a nurse might find it difficult to be compassionate to individuals who inflict pain on themselves or on others or those who do not appreciate human life. In other severe cases, a nurse might be prejudiced against patients from certain ethnicities and religious backgrounds. Also, some patients may refuse to receive care due to certain religious beliefs. As human beings, we value those who treat us well. It is in situations such as the ones mentioned above when the Code of Ethics for nurses should best apply. Any nurse who fails to provide efficient care to any given patient due to various reasons violates the ethics of the nursing profession. The same level of care should be provided to all patients, while still tailoring patient care to individual needs. Nurses are expected to provide the same level of care to patients, regardless of who they are or what they have done (Porter, 2013).
I believe that as a nurse I should have the same level of interest for all my patients , and focus on providing the best care for all patients. Being an empathetic person I have always enjoyed taking care of people and alleviating their suffering. In addition to individual attributes, the nursing code of ethics provides nurses with a framework of how they should treat patients and how they should interact with their colleagues. Nurses are bound to ethics, and therefore, Code of Ethics for nurses is a guide upon which they should rely on to ensure success in the profession.
References
Chadwick, R., & Gallagher, A. (2016). Nursing Ethics in the 21st Century. Ethics and Nursing Practice , 5-19. doi:10.1057/978-1-349-93299-3_2
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
VCU Health. (n.d.). American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. Retrieved from https://www.vcuhealth.org/for-medical-professionals/nursing/about-nursing-at-vcu/ana-code-ethics
