Nursing Professional Code of Conduct

Nursing Professional Code of Conduct
Name:
Institution:
Course:
Tutor:
Date:
Abstract
Every profession is guided by specific guidelines and principles found in the code of conduct of that particular profession. This paper is based on the Nursing Code of Conduct. It is based on the analysis of the principles contained in the Nursing Code of Conduct. The paper also looks at possible conflicts of interest that are likely to arise as a result of the application of the Nursing Code of Conduct in the nursing practice. The author of this paper has as well given suggestions on how such kind of ethical conflicts can be solved.
Nursing Professional Code of Conduct
Introduction
Nurses deal with a variety of people, some of which are under critical health conditions. Therefore, it is important for them to have a clear description of their duties and obligations. This is what constitutes the Nursing Professional Code of Conduct. The Nursing Professional Code of Conduct as a guide that enables the nurses to carry out their duties and responsibilities in accordance to quality nursing care and the whole nursing profession. Sometimes the guidelines contained in the Nursing Professional Code of Conduct tend to bring about ethical conflicts of interest. Whenever such conflicts arise, it is important for nurses to make effective decisions based on acceptable nursing principles. Some of the principles contained in the Nursing Professional Code of Conduct include informed consent, confidentiality, advocacy, autonomy, veracity and nonmaleficence.
Informed Consent
Before giving out any form of healthcare or treatment, it is the obligation of the nurse to let the patient know about the care (Westrick & Dempski, 2009). A nurse is expected to help the patient to understand the nature of his or her health problem and assist him or her in receiving necessary information that can help in making informed treatment decisions. For example, a patient who is supposed to undergo surgery should be told of all the procedures involved in the process before the surgery is performed. However, it is common for nurses to be tempted to effect coerced consents or provide information to the patient concerning the complications of a given medical treatment. Such nurses should be aware that such actions are likely to invalidate the principle of consent and patient self-determination. Therefore, a nurse is obliged to ensure that the patient is fully informed and that he or she fully understands his or her obligations. The nurse should not decide the treatment option for the patient. Within the American Nursing Professional Code of Conduct, the principle of informed consent is entailed in the provision which states that “each nurse has an obligation to be knowledgeable about the moral and legal rights of all patients to self-determination” (ANA, 2001).
Confidentiality
In accordance to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, a nurse should ensure that the privacy of the patient regarding to information about is or her health status and treatment process is maintained (Fulton, Lyon & Gourde, 2010). However, there normally arises a situation where the nurse is not sure of whether it is good to hand out a given piece of information and whether the person receiving the information is authorized to have it. Such a situation is likely to confuse the nurse and interfere with his or her work. In order to avoid such a situation, the nurse should be guided by the principles of trust and well being of the patient. For instance, a nurse is not allowed to reveal any information to a close relative concerning the health status of a sick family member who is in a critical condition. In the American Nursing Professional Code of Conduct, the principle of confidentiality is encompassed in the provision which states that “The profession of nursing, as represented by associations and their members, is responsible of articulating nursing values, for maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice and for shaping social policy” (ANA, 2001). Upholding the principle of confidentiality is considered as one of the main ways of promoting nursing values and promoting the integrity of the profession.
Advocacy
The principle of advocacy is important in nursing. In accordance to the nursing code of ethics, advocacy requires that a nurse should act for and on behalf of the client or patient. He or she should promote the well being of the patient and uphold the rights and interests of the patient (Vaartio, Leino-Kilpi, Salantera & Suominen, 2006). The nurse should ensure that the client is assured of competent and safe healthcare and that his or her rights are protected. For example, a nurse should ensure that the right of his or her client to hold personal and religious beliefs is respected. However, nurses normally come into contact with barriers to advocacy in the course of their nursing practice. For instance, it is common for nurses to ignore the protection of simple rights of patients such as those pertaining to religious beliefs and cultural customs. In order to avoid this, practicing nurses should continue with their education on the ethical principles of advocacy. The healthcare sector also needs to review its ...