The sensitivity of the nursing practice justifies the need to have various codes of ethics that provide guidance to practitioners upon the rise of different situational contexts that present borderline application of ethics. One of the codes of ethics applied is that of the principle of autonomy. Also referred to as the principle of self-determination; this describe the right accorded to individuals to make their own decisions without external influences and pressures (Masters, 2015). As such, nurses are required to uphold this principle with their patients to ensure they are involved in the decision-making process, constituent to their treatment plan.
As such, nurses are required, as per clinical ethics, to respect the autonomy of patients. This requirement involves the application of two main approaches. In the first instance, nurses are required to abide by their patients’ decision with regards to their care. The second approach requires medical practitioners to provide ideal conditions that enable patients to make a reasonable and well-informed decision.
The principle of autonomy is not applied solely but is instead supported by the principle of benevolence. The second instance involves the avoidance of invocation of harm on a patient by a medical practitioner. In this case, nurses are expected to refrain from causing harm to patients (Black and Chitty, 2014). In this regard, the principle of autonomy applies on an individual basis. In this case, irrespective whether a decision is foreseen to cause harm to oneself, the principle of autonomy allows individuals with the power to make such decisions as deemed fit. However, a contingency applies to this case, in that nurses should provide sufficient information to guide the patient in the determination of the most suitable decision.
On the other hand, the other option of causing harm to others is not supported by the autonomy principle. In this regard, the benevolence principle prevents nurses of causing harm to others. In this case, the respective medical practitioner is provided the option of weighing the risks and benefits accruable from making decisions and as such act according to the patient’s best interest.
References
Black, B. P., & Chitty, K. K. (2014). Professional nursing: Concepts & challenges. St. Louis: Elsevier.
Masters, K. (2015). Role development in professional nursing practice. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
