In the year 2015, The American Nurses Association(ANA) produced two documents which contained part 1 and 2 of The New 'Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements'(2015)(ANA, 2015). Part 1 entailed provision 1 to 4 of the nurses code of ethics while part 2 entailed provision 5 to 9 of the nurses code of ethics. In the documents, the first three provision have explained the most basic commitments and values of the nurses. The fourth provision has discussed nurses' accountability while at practice. Provision 5 to 6 have focused on the ethical issues relating to loyalty and duty boundaries. Provision 7 to 9 have concentrated on nurses' ethical duties which are beyond an individual patent encounters. This paper will give these two articles' reflection and include my feelings on this code of ethics as they pertain to me as a nurse.
Provision 1 of the nurses' code of ethics states that a nurse should practice with respect and compassion for the inherent worth, dignity and unique attributes to every person. It has five interpretive statements that are updated from the previous edition. The first statement focuses on respect to human dignity. The second statement addresses importance of trust and relationships with patients. The third one concerns nature of health. The fourth statement addresses right to self-determination while the fifth one focuses on relationships with colleagues(Winland, Lachman, & Swanson, 2015). The pertains to me as it helps me to relate well with my colleagues and have self-determination while undertaking my duties. It also emphasizes to me the importance of understanding patient's health nature as well as treat them with respect and relate with them well.
Provision 2 states that the primary commitment of nurses is to patients whether a population, community, group, family, or an individual. Its first interpretive statement concerns patient's interests' primacy. The second one focuses o nurses' conflict of interests. The third one relates to collaboration while the last statement illustrates professional boundaries importance(Winland, et al., 2015). This provision pertains to me as I have learnt patient's interests' primacy and how to handle conflict of interests among the nurses. It has also taught me collaboration and importance of professional boundaries.
The third provision states that the nurse should protect, advocate for, and promote the safety, health, and rights of patients. The first statement concerns confidentiality, and privacy rights protection. The second centers on research human participants protection. The third focuses on review mechanisms and performance standards. The fourth concerns professional responsibility of safety culture promotion. The fifth focuses on patient health and safety protection through acting on the questionable practice, while the last one deals with impaired practice and patient protection(Winland, et al., 2015). This provision pertains to me as a nurse as it teaches me to protect, advocate for, and promote patient's safety, health, and rights.
Provision 4 states that nurse posses nursing practice authority, responsibility and accountability; takes action consistent with optimal care provision and health promotion obligation; and makes decisions. This provision has 4 statements which emphasizes on obligations and responsibilities of professional nurse to their patients. Patients are seen to be populations, families, or individuals(Winland, et al., 2015). This provision pertains to me as it reminds me of my nursing practice responsibility, accountability, and authority.
The fifth provision states that nurses owe same duties to self just like to others, including responsibility for promotion of safety and health, continue professional and personal growth, maintain competence, preserve integrity and character wholeness. It has six interpretive statements. It delineates personal behaviors which nurses must engage in order to have the code expectations achievement(Lachman, 2015). This provision has reminded me of my duties to self and to others, and my responsibilities of safety and health promotion.
The other provision which is 6 states that nurses through their collective and individual effort, should establish, maintain, and improve the work setting ethical environment and employment conditions which are conducive to a quality and safe health care. It has three interpretive statements which describes nurses' responsibility in moral environment creation and nursing virtues definition expansion(Lachman, 2015). This provision pertains to me as am supposed to improve, maintain and even establish a work setting ethical environment which is conducive to quality health care.
Provision 7 states that nurses, in all settings and roles, should advance the profession via scholarly inquiry and research, both health and nursing policy generation, and professional standards development. It has 3 interpretive statements which focus on nurses' role to development of knowledge via scholarly inquiry and research(Lachman, 2015). This provision has alerted me that I should always be advancing my profession through scholarly inquiry and research.
The other provision is 8 which states that nurses should collaborate with public and other health professionals in human rights protection, health diplomacy promotion, and health disparities reduction. It has 4 interpretive statements, which adds health to be a universal right and increases obligation of nurses to act on social injustice(Lachman, 2015). This provision reminds me of my collaboration in human rights protection and health disparities reduction.
The last provision which is 9 states that nursing profession, collectively via its professional organizations, must integrate social justice principles into health and nursing policy, maintain profession's integrity, and articulate nursing values. It has4 interpretive statements which addresses in depth nurses' responsibilities in engaging to rectify health disparities and social injustices in community and beyond(Lachman, 2015). This provision pertains to me as a nurse since it shows me my responsibilities in rectifying health disparities and social injustices.
References
Winland-Brown, J., Lachman, V. D., &Swanson, E. O. (2015). The New 'Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements' (2015): Practical Clinical Application, PartI. MEDSURG Nursing,24(4),268-271.
Lachman, V.D. (2015). The New 'Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements' (2015): Practical Clinical Application, PartII. MEDSURG Nursing,24(5),363-368.
