| Perhaps history's most famous nurse, Florence | | | | nurse's commitment to the patient, respect for |
| Nightingale, gave her name to the earliest version of | | | | human dignity and ensuring the privacy of every |
| today's Code of Ethics back in 1893, when a | | | | patient. Nurses can put these principles into practice |
| "Nightingale Pledge" was established. In 1926, The | | | | every day by doing things such as explaining |
| American Journal of Nursing published a provisional | | | | procedures fully, ensuring privacy and ensuring they |
| code, although it wasn't formally accepted by the | | | | have a patient's full consent. |
| American Nursing Association until over 30 years | | | | The Code of Ethics is also closely linked with patients' |
| later, in 1960. | | | | rights and a section addresses this often touchy |
| Since then, the Code of Ethics has been revised and | | | | subject. A comprehensive bill of rights is a surprisingly |
| amended several times, although the underlying | | | | recent concept. A Patients Bill of Rights was not |
| principles have remained the same. Nurses are still | | | | enacted until 1973 by the American Hospital |
| expected to perform their duties with integrity, and | | | | Association and was revised in 1992. By law, a patient |
| do the best job they can. As most people know, | | | | must be informed of their rights upon being admitted |
| their job is difficult to begin with. A nurse is not only | | | | to a hospital. |
| a caregiver; he or she is expected to have a wide | | | | The Code of Ethics often conflicts with patients' |
| range of other assets too, such as tact, patience and | | | | rights, for example, a patient may refuse treatment |
| the ability to communicate. | | | | or discharge themselves against the better judgment |
| If you are a nurse, you may not be tested on the | | | | of the nurse. In this case, a nurse must respect the |
| Code and you won't be expected to commit it to | | | | wishes of the patient even though it may go against |
| memory, but you will need to be familiar with its | | | | some of the principles of the Code of Ethics. The |
| basic concepts. You may be required to attend | | | | Code states that a nurse may never act to |
| seminars on the principles of the Code and perhaps | | | | deliberately end a person's life, although they should |
| review actual cases, particularly ones in which a | | | | attempt to alleviate a patient's suffering even if this |
| difficult or ethical decision was reached. | | | | causes death |
| Due to the fact that the Code also changes, and is | | | | Frequently, a person may have a set of religious or |
| amended to from time to time, nurses need to keep | | | | cultural beliefs which leads them to make decisions |
| up with any updates as well. Arguably, the duties of | | | | about their health that many of us would consider |
| a nurse have become even more challenging over | | | | unhealthy or dangerous. The Code also addresses the |
| recent years, due to such things as cost-conscious | | | | question of funding for medical research and states |
| hospitals, a shortage of nurses in some areas and | | | | that a nurse can choose not to participate in such |
| more complex medical treatments. | | | | research if they consider it to be unethical. |
| Most of us know what ethics are, as we make | | | | To some degree, the Code of Ethics also means that |
| ethical decisions in our everyday lives. Ethics is | | | | nurses must take responsibility not only for their own |
| actually a branch of philosophy - the word ethics | | | | actions, but for the actions of other nurses too; the |
| comes from the Greek word ethos which means | | | | Code states that a nurse must take action if he or |
| habitual usage, custom, conduct and character. Put | | | | she observes others acting in an, "incompetent, |
| another way, ethics are the guidelines which guide an | | | | unethical, illegal or impaired" manner. A nurse is also |
| individual or group in their everyday behavior. | | | | expected and encouraged to report such behavior, |
| Nurses perhaps know this more than anyone. Each | | | | which is not always an easy thing to do. |
| day, nurses are faced with making life and death | | | | Many hospitals actually have ethics committees or |
| decisions, sometimes with no more than a few | | | | even an ethicist on the staff. He or she may be |
| seconds to decide. Although nurses have the | | | | called upon in cases where a life or death decision |
| necessary authority and skills required to make | | | | has to be made, a decision that most of us would |
| independent decisions about a particular patient or | | | | care to make. Not surprisingly, often the question of |
| situation, they are still responsible to the profession in | | | | ethics arises in those situations in which it is being |
| general. | | | | considered to cease life support and allow a terminally |
| The first three provisions of the Code are perhaps | | | | ill patient to die. |
| the most important. They cover such basics as the | | | | |