The code of ethics for nurses, helps maintain the integrity of the nursing profession; the standards of practice, educational requirement for practice, helps in knowledge development and in the continuous evaluation of professional nursing action. Professional nursing bodies are expected to support nursing code of ethics.
The nurse’s obligation to preserve the integrity and safety of nursing practice, is ensured by the nursing code of ethics (ANA, 2001, p.18). It also underlines the nurse’s responsibility to continue personal and professional growth. Nurses are expected to disclose errors made by them, as it will safeguard the integrity of personal and professional values. Disclosing errors and improving once profession, is not possible without open debate among professionals who face the same day to day challenge of evidence based practice. Though expert nurses may have years of experience, without continuing education, their practice will become outdated. Nurses participate in establishing, maintaining and improving health care environment and practice through individual and collaborative action. (ANA, 2001, p.20)
Continuing nursing education is a step towards personal and professional growth. The provision 7 of ANA Code of Ethics, require that “nurses participate in the advancement of the profession through contribution to practice, education, administration and knowledge development”. ("About The Code", 2016)
The following are some of the pros and cons of continuing nursing education.
Pros of continuing nursing education: Continuing education helps the nurses to improve professional performance, by improving professional ability. As healthcare knowledge and technology are constantly updated, continuous learning can help learn new technologies, emerging diseases and other innovations. Through skill enhancement and gaining new knowledge, nurses can contribute in a better way to methods of educating peers, administration of nursing care, developing a process to share knowledge and to improve patient welfare. New research findings can offer nurses with new knowledge to improve patient health safety, patient health and rights. Learning process also helps to maintain the standards of health care practice and to improve the quality of care. It also helps to recognize new health care needs and motivates staff to embrace change. (Morris & Faulk, 2012; "The Pros and Cons of Getting Nursing CEUs", 2014)
Cons of continuing nursing education: Nurses may interpret code differently based their level of education. Though continuing education may broaden nurse’s knowledge, it can also lead to disagreement among peers, due to difference in interpretation of the same code. The level of knowledge and education can affect a person’s thinking. This can create doubts in the patient about the competence of the staff. It is also difficult to measure outcomes associated with the implementation of ‘continuing education’. Measuring outcomes of compliance to nursing code of ethics is equally difficult. ("The Pros and Cons of Getting Nursing CEUs", 2014)
Slide 1: PROS OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION
Improves professional performance and ability
Opportunity to contribute in a better way to nursing education and administrations.
Provides updates on current knowledge and technologies
Improves problem solving and critical thinking
Maintains standards of care and practice
Improves quality of care
Helps to recognize healthcare needs
Motivates staff to embrace change
Slide 2: CONS OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION
Difficult to measure outcomes related to compliance to nursing code of ethics and continuing nursing education.
Can increase disagreement and differences in interpretation of nursing codes.
References
ANA. (2001)
About The Code. (2016). Nursingworld.org. Retrieved 12 July 2016, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNur ses/AboutTheCode.html
Morris, A. & Faulk, D. (2012). Transformative learning in nursing. New York: Springer.
The Pros and Cons of Getting Nursing CEUs. (2014). Nursetogether.com. Retrieved 15 July 2016, from http://www.nursetogether.com/pros-and-cons-getting-nursing-ceus
