Nursing Professional Ethics PDF

Nursing Professional Ethics Dr. Srwa Rostam Nursing Professional Ethics Spring Semester/Week 1 2023-2024 Course overview This course is designed to provide the students with an understanding of moral issues, which form the basis for professional ethics in nursing and ethical challenges and enhance n...

Nursing Professional Ethics Dr. Srwa Rostam Nursing Professional Ethics Spring Semester/Week 1 2023-2024 Course overview This course is designed to provide the students with an understanding of moral issues, which form the basis for professional ethics in nursing and ethical challenges and enhance nursing practice. Learning Objec琀椀ves: 1.Define the concept of ethics in nursing and its importance in professional practice. 2.Understand the origins and meaning of ethics, particularly within the context of nursing. 3.Explore the role of ethics in addressing moral issues and dilemmas encountered in nursing practice. Core ethical principles of nursing prac琀椀ce The number of core principles varies; however, four key principles are generally recognized: 1. non-male昀椀cence 2. bene昀椀cence 3. Autonomy 4. jus琀椀ce. Non-male昀椀cence: Non-male昀椀cence means 'do no harm’. Any ac琀椀on should not cause unnecessary harm or su昀昀ering to the pa琀椀ent and should be jus琀椀昀椀ed by ethical and professional judgement and guidance. This includes both physical and psychological harm. Evidence-based prac琀椀ce is vital, as it can minimize the risk of harm. Nurses must be able to appraise the risk to the individual and use interven琀椀ons and treatments to minimize risk and maximize bene昀椀ts. Examples of non-male昀椀cence include stopping a medica琀椀on that is causing harmful side e昀昀ects, or discon琀椀nuing a treatment strategy that is not e昀昀ec琀椀ve and may be harmful. Bene昀椀cence: Bene昀椀cence means 'do good' and promotes ac琀椀ons that bene昀椀t the pa琀椀ent. Nurses should support pa琀椀ents during their healing and recovery. This applies to all care processes, including administering medica琀椀on and providing pa琀椀ents with informa琀椀on and educa琀椀on. There is o昀琀en a need to balance the poten琀椀al for a treatment to do good and do harm, par琀椀cularly when administering drugs with side e昀昀ects, or in pa琀椀ents with complex care needs. Balancing non-male昀椀cence and bene昀椀cence is important, and requires careful considera琀椀on. Autonomy Autonomy states that pa琀椀ents should be able to act independently and should be in control of their fate. Pa琀椀ents should make decisions regarding their care or act inten琀椀onally, without being controlled or excessively forced. Nurses may try to in昀氀uence pa琀椀ents to adopt a par琀椀cular treatment strategy when that is the strategy with the strongest evidence base, but must not prevent pa琀椀ents making their own decisions. Example of autonomy An example of behaviors that promote autonomy is presen琀椀ng all treatment op琀椀ons to a pa琀椀ent and providing them with su昀케cient informa琀椀on such that the pa琀椀ent can make an informed choice in concert with medical advice. Jus琀椀ce 'Justice' entails obligations to act in a manner considered equitable, fair and consistent with the rights of the individual. Justice ensures fairness in the treatment of all patients; they have the right to be treated equally, regardless of their background or condition, and should not be discriminated against based on personal characteristics, beliefs or values. Jus琀椀ce: example Examples of jus琀椀ce in prac琀椀ce include o昀昀ering the same treatment op琀椀ons to two pa琀椀ents, even where one may have a condi琀椀on through no fault of their own and the other through personal behavior (e.g. lung cancer and smoking) and alloca琀椀ng resources equally among members of the popula琀椀on. Maintaining pa琀椀ent con昀椀den琀椀ality Confidentiality is a fundamental principle in healthcare, and nurses must understand how this applies to their practice. Confidentiality pertains to restricting the sharing of sensitive patient information and only sharing information when it is necessary either by law or professional duty. Patients should be allowed to choose when their information is shared with others. Therefore, nurses need to respect the wishes of patients and seek their permission before sharing potentially sensitive information. Many types of healthcare informa琀椀on are considered con昀椀den琀椀al. Sharing details of the pa琀椀ent's condi琀椀on, treatment or personal life with other pa琀椀ents or family members is considered unethical. When discussing care details with the pa琀椀ent, any informa琀椀on exchanged or personal details shared are subject to con昀椀den琀椀al treatment. This is true even where the family members of the pa琀椀ent may have an interest in the informa琀椀on; for instance, if a pa琀椀ent admits to substance abuse but does not wish their family to know. Con昀椀den琀椀ality is complex; it is not always possible, or ethical, to withhold informa琀椀on from other par琀椀es when engaging in pa琀椀ent care. For instance, when the pa琀椀ent poses a risk of severe harm to him or herself or others, the nurse may be obliged to share con昀椀den琀椀al informa琀椀on with members of law enforcement or associated professionals. Similarly, if the pa琀椀ent reveals medical informa琀椀on that may place others at risk, it is the duty of the nurse to consider his or her ethical obliga琀椀on to protect the rights of the pa琀椀ent, balanced with the rights of others or society in general. Ethical decision-making therefore can play a big role in maintaining con昀椀den琀椀ality in prac琀椀ce.