Nursing 109

N109: Foundations in Nursing Practice Study Guide

Appendix B: Nursing Code of Ethics Every nurse in every situation must be aware of the American Nurse Association Code of Ethics for Nurses. The major points are presented here with examples of how the nurse might operationalize the standards in practice; the full text can be found online at Nursing World. The ANA Code of Ethics Operationalizing the Code of Ethics The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems. Respect for patients, families, and colleagues is the cornerstone of the Code of Ethics . The professional nurse must learn about the patient populations and make a choice and a commitment to practice with respect for all. Respect for all coworkers in thediverse interdisciplinary teams is also part of this first provision. The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community. The essence of nursing focuses on the primary commitment to the patient and should be a fundamental expectation of all nurses of themselves and each other. Each nurse is expected to resolve any problem that a patient or family may encounter. Resolution may require complex problem-solving efforts or communication of concerns or needs along the appropriate chain of command. Nurses must be able to communicate concerns without fear of recrimination. Nurses answer questions posed by patients and families to promote learning, ensure understanding, and facilitate decision making. Nurses share facts as appropriate or seek the help of other team members with expertise. The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient. The promotion of health and well-being of all patients who seek care must be the nurse's primary service behavior. The nurse must ensure the protection of patient information. Due to the intimate nature of the nurse-patient-family relationship, nurses may be the recipient of confidential information. Nurses must understand their obligation to protect patients’ confidentiality rights unless the information impacts the care or safety of the patient. The nurse is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse’s obligation to provide optimum patient care. Each nurse is accountable for individual practice in accordance with the rules and regulations for registered and licensed practical nurses, professional standards, and ethical codes. Nurses also learn the roles of other team members in order to appropriately delegate tasks to other care providers.

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