In this document, readers will be presented with an overview of the laws and ethics in nursing. Nursing is a line of work within the health care segment focused on the concerns of individuals. Nursing helps physically unfit people to achieve, sustain, or convalesce optimal healthiness and quality of life.
The American Nurses Association adopted its primary recognized code of ethics in 1950. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for nurses is a concise testimonial of the ethical compulsions and responsibilities of each candidate who enters into the profession of nursing. According to Schwab & Gelfman (2005), it is nursing profession's invariable ethical standard that is required to be followed by all the nationalized and private hospitals in America.
It is an expression of nursing's personal perception of their commitment to society. As a staff from the health department, it is important to understand the importance of code of ethics. The Code of Ethics for Nurses was developed as a guide for carrying out the duties of nursing in a manner that is reliable with excellence in nursing care and the ethical compulsions of the occupation.
The social context of Garrett is the authoritative framework for ethical analysis and management in the profession of nursing. The purposes of a professional code of ethics are manifold and often subtle. The American Nurses Association classifies four precise principles for the nursing code. According to Finkelman & Kenner (2010), the American Nurses Association’s articulated purposes of the ethical Code are to be a brief statement of the ethical commitments and duties of the entire candidates who are involved in the profession of nursing. The four of these expressed principles are evidently normative and prescriptive.
The first indicates the principles of autonomy that deals with the ethical issues. As one of the provision of ANA code of ethics states, “The nurse practices with sympathy and respect for the intrinsic decorum, significance, and distinctive attributes of each patient” . It means that each patient should be given equal amount of respect, time, and importance. The ANA Code provides ethical rules to facilitate patients.
At the same time, ANA codes of ethics in specifically can be considered as an important part of this profession. The code makes this profession look more proficient and it given an idea to nurses about the consequences of their occupation. The principle of autonomy considers the rights of a person to self-determination. It must be embedded in the profession of nursing to have respect for person’s capability to make informed assessments about their personal delicate matters. The principle of autonomy is a fundamental provision in the ANA code of ethics, which is steadily moving away from a paternalistic approach towards a new distinctive, client-centered approach where the patient plays a vigorous role in their own health and comfort. In such cases nurses are suppose to respect the opinion of their patients and should also give them a moral support.
Another implied principle of the ANA code of ethics is to help develop a group identity. According to Bulechek, Butcher, Dochterman, & Wagner (2013), Nurses are supposed to develop a constructive understanding about the limitations of their occupation, and the ways in which they possibly will interrelate with others as part of an inter-professional healthcare team. In other words, the Code of ethics itself facilitates in a prescribed manner to characterize that what it means to be a nurse, instilling a more logical, inclusive professional identity.
The nurses are supposed to care for the rights, physical condition, and safety of the patient. At times nurse work together with other health professionals and the municipal to defend human rights, uphold health diplomacy, and condense health disparities. According to Hendrick (2000), nurses play many prominent roles in the care of their patients, including that of supporter. The ANA concentrates on the significance of advocacy in its Code of Ethics and defines nursing as the fortification, encouragement, and optimization of health and capabilities.
One of the provisions of ANA code of ethics indicates the importance of Beneficence in the profession of nursing. It means that a nurse should be kind enough so that they can treat their patients in an effective and moralized manner. Nurses have a responsibility of care that expands to the sufferers, trained colleagues, and to the social order as a whole. Nonmaleficence involves an ethical and authorized responsibility of the nurses to avoid harming their patients. Nurses are believed to be a good caretaker of their patients so they can reach to a positive outcome.
The other provision of ANA code of ethics specifies that the Code apply across the range of roles of nursing, care of patients, and edification. The ANA Code of Ethics also identifies that responsibilities of nurses consign them in an ethical affiliation with the general public.
Another provision of ANA Code of Ethics indicates the ethical way of distribution. Ethics of distributions is allocation of resources related to public health policies; it is concerned with choosing which person should be given the resources of health care. It means the person who is working efficiently in the health care should be granted power, possessions, and resources of the health care.
As a nurse, they have got access to susceptible information of their patients. The ANA Code of Ethics states that nurses have an authorized and ethical obligation to keep all the information confidential, unless the authority will not allow them to disclose. Principle of confidentiality is requested by law and is indispensable in the public interest.
The ANA code of ethics urges the nurses to remain honest and truthful about health conditions of their patients. Providing wrong information to patients can badly affect the reputation of the staff of the health so the code of ethics suggests speaking the truth.
The staff of the health care department should be well qualified. It is the responsibility of the nurses to take classes of training from recognizable medical institutes so they can become efficient nurses. Candidates should first attain their degree of bachelors in the field of nursing before serving at the hospitals. The nurses should know their exact responsibilities and they are supposed to take good care of their patients. They need to be honest with their patient, they are supposed to be good caretaker, and should respect their patients.
The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics is the universal principles that are required to be followed by the healthcare staff in order to be successful. The provisions of ANA Code of Ethics comprise of beneficence, less harm, respect for autonomy and fairness. The code of ethics teaches nurse to act as a conversationalist, liaison, instructor, predictor, and caregiver. The ANA code of ethics is also an emergence of professionalism in the field of nursing.
References
Bulechek, G. M., Butcher, H. K., Dochterman, J. M., & Wagner, C. (2013). Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC)6: Nursing Interventions. Missouri: Elsevier Mobsy, Inc.
Finkelman, A., & Kenner, C. (2010). Professional Nursing Concepts: Competencies for Quality Leadership. Sudbury: Jones and Barlett Publishers.
Hendrick, J. (2000). Law and Ethics in Nursing and Health Care. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes Publishers.
Schwab, N., & Gelfman, M. (2005). Legal Issues in School Health Services: A Resource for School Administrators School Attorneys School Nurses. New York: Authors Choice Press.
