Essay Example on Nursing Ethically The American Nurses Association ANA

Code of Ethics is an important reference for all nurses rightfully striving to be a model of ethics within their profession The following discussion is a summary of what I learned from the points made within The ANA Code of Ethics 2015 The first point made was to recognize the importance of respecting the dignity rights and worth of clients and patients and that factors relating to diversity should never affect the nurse client relationship The illness of an individual shouldn t be a factor in determining their worth regardless of how dire their condition might be and each nurse needs to understand the patients right for self determination and respect their right choose what is done to and with their own self I learned that a nurse's primary commitment is to their client first and that they need to handle conflicts of interest by ensuring their patient s safety and interests while maintaining their professional integrity as a nurse For the importance of the patient's health in the spirit of teamwork it is important that the nurse is willing to collaborate with other colleagues and healthcare professionals Though a nurse may feel a sense of closeness with his or her client or colleague it's important for the nurse to maintain property professional boundaries within his or her relationship 

The ANA Code of Ethics also stresses that professional nurses have various responsibilities to their clients in addition to attending to their physical condition The nurse needs to control the privacy of the patient's information and maintain confidentiality within the nurse patient relationship It is also important for the nurse to attain a basic academic understanding of their practice and make a commitment to professional standards that are required of them He or she needs to try to ensure a safe culture and be willing to investigate where error or near misses occur to see where the system had failed and where improvements could be made The ANA Code of Ethics points out that if a nurse recognizes a situation that may place their client's rights or best interests in danger they need to be willing to address them on behalf of their client I learned that it is important for nurses to understand that they have a sense of authority in every role and that they are accountable and responsible for the quality of their nursing practice which includes decisions made and actions taken Particularly for a nurse in authority it is important to delegate activities and tasks based on the assessed skills of the nurse and monitor the outcomes closely to ensure quality As a nurse makes efforts to show high regard to others without prejudice he or she needs to also show the same care for themselves It is also important for a professional nurse to be an ambassador for the same style of healthy living that they advise and promote to their clients which includes but is not limited to necessary medical treatment diet exercise rest and attending to spiritual and religious needs When it comes to personal opinions I learned that it is necessary for the nurse to exercise discretion 

The ANA Code of Ethics discusses that a nurse should feel free to offer their opinions based on good judgement keeping in mind that their opinions carry influence If a nurse is asked to do something that goes against his or her beliefs I learned that he or she has the right to refuse the work so that they can maintain their personal and professional values and preserve their dignity In the effort of maintaining a high standard the nurse needs to evaluate themselves and always strive for excellence in their practice This includes committing themselves to a life of learning and pursuing activities that promotes personal growth I learned the importance of virtue within the role of nursing A nurse is to use a high level of virtue to meet moral obligations and do what is right for patients self and profession The nurse is also responsible for contributing to an honest and moral work environment to ensure safety quality care and professional excellence The code speaks about how important it is for a nurse to get involved with research or consider conducting his or her own research in efforts to further the development of knowledge of their profession I learned that it is essential for a nurse to understand that the nursing profession holds that health for all is a universal right He or she needs to make a commit to achieve and sustain health as a means of common good while being sensitive to diverse cultural values and practices A nurse should also make efforts in shaping healthcare and be involved with the political processes that determine policies and procedures within the profession of nursing Ignorance of what this code states should hopefully never be used as an excuse In efforts to prevent this from happening it is important to promote the awareness of and adherence to the ANA Code of Ethics as encouraged by the code itself References The American Nurses Association 2015 Code of Ethics for Nurses with Imperative Statements Retrieved January 17 2018 from http nursingworld org DocumentVault Ethics 1 Code of Ethics for Nurses html