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ETHICO-MORAL ASPECTS OF
NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses need to:

· Develop sensitivity to the ethical dimensions of nursing practice

· Examine their own & client’s value

· Understand how values influence their decisions

· Think a head about the moral problems

they are likely to face

Ex.: birth, death, marriage

 VALUES

- enduring beliefs or attitudes about the

worth of a person, objects, idea or action

- concepts/ ideas that give meaning to

one’s life & provide a framework for one’s

Decision

- Are learned through observation , experience & are heavily influenced by a person’s sociocultural environment that is by:

Societal traditions, cultural, ethical, religious groups, family or peer groups

 BELIEFS (OPINIONS)

- Interpretations or conclusions that people

hold as true

- Based more on faith that fact & may/ may

not be true

- Beliefs do not necessarily involves values

 Ex.: If I study hard, I will get good grade

 ATTITUDES

 - Mental positions/ feelings toward a person,object or idea

- Often judged as bad or good, positive or

negative, beliefs are judged as correct or

incorrect.

(5) VALUES ESSENTIAL FOR PROFESSIONAL

NURSES

1. Altruism >The concern for the welfare & well-being of others

2. Autonomy >The right for self- determination of professional practice

Ex.: When the nurse respects patient’s right to make decisions about their health care

3. Human dignity

- Respect for the inherent worth & uniqueness of individual & populations

Ex.: when the nurse values & respects all patient’s & colleagues

4. Integrity - Acting in accordance with an appropriate code of ethics & standards of practice
Ex.: when the nurse is honest & provides care based on ethical framework that is accepted within profession

5. Social Justice

- Upholding moral, legal & humanistic principles.

Ex.: when the nurse works to ensure equal treatment under the laws & equal access to quality care.

NURSING

An occupation requiring a unique body of

knowledge and skills and which serves

society

Is nursing a profession?

YES. It is a calling, vocation, occupation based on scientific body of knowledge which needs training both
in theory and practice guided by a Code of Nursing Ethics, governed by the Nursing Act of 2002, to SERVE mankind for a FEE
or FREE.

PROFESSION

An occupation or calling requiring advance

training

Experience in some specific or specialized

body of knowledge Provides service to society in that special field

The term profession is honoric and should

be carried with pride and honor

 PROFESSIONAL NURSE

 Completed a basic nursing education

program

 Licensed in his/her country or state to

practice professional nursing

 NURSING PRACTICE

Ø Primary responsibility promotion of health and prevention of illness

Ø Collaborate with other health care providers

 o Curative

 o Preventive

 o Rehabilitative aspects of care

o Restoration of health

 o Alleviation of suffering

 o Towards a peaceful death

Ø Provide nursing care through the utilization of the nursing process

 o Therapeutic use of self

o Executing health care techniques and

procedures

 o Essential primary health care

  o Comfort measures

 o Health teachings

o Administration of written prescription fortreatment

o Therapies

o Oral

o Topical

o Parenteral medications

o Internal examination during labour in the absence of antenatal bleeding and delivery

o Suturing of perineal laceration

Ø Establish linkages with community resources

Ø Coordination with the health team

Ø Provide health education to individuals, families and communities

Ø Teach, guide and supervise students In nursing education programs

Ø The nurse is required to maintain competence by continual learning through continuing professional education

QUALIFICATIONS AND ABILITIES OF A

PROFESSIONAL NURSE

Ø Professional Preparation

o Have a license to practice

o Bachelor of science degree in nursing

o Be physically and mentally fit

Personal Qualities and Professional Proficiencies

o Interest and willingness to work and learn

o Warm personality and concern for people

o Resourcefulness and creativity, well balanced emotional condition

o Capacity and ability to work cooperatively with others

o Skill in decision making

DEFINITION OF LICENSE

Ø A legal document given by the government that permits a person to offer to the public his or her skills

and knowledge in a particular jurisdiction

CODE OF ETHICS

- A set of ethical principle that all member

of a profession generally accept

- Sets the group expectation & standard of behaviour

PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING CODE OF ETHICS

1. Responsibility

Refers to the execution of duties associated with the nurse’s role

2. Accountability

Ability to answer for your own action

3. Confidentiality

Requires that those with access with health information to a 3rd party without consent

4. Judgement

Ability to form opinion or draw sound conclusions

5. Advocacy

>Giving patients information they need to make decision to support those decision

>Implies caretaker is drive to understand & clearly state patient’s point of view to other health care
provider

ETHICAL DILEMAS

Exist when the right thing to do is not

clear/ members of health care team

cannot agree what the right thing to do

SCOPE OF NURSING

A person shall deemed to be practicing

nursing when she/he singly or in

collaboration with another which initiates

& performs nursing services to individual,

family, community in any health care setting

Nurses are primarily responsible for the

promotion of health prevention illness

Nurses shall collaborate with other health

care provider for the curative, preventive,

rehabilitative aspects of care, restoration

of health, alleviation of suffering & when

recovery is not responsible towards a

peaceful death

IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE NURSE TO:

Provide nursing care thru the utilization of the nurse

Establish linkages with community resources & coordination with the health team

Provide health education

Teach, guide & supervise students in nursing education programs including the

administration of nursing services in varied settings

Undertake nursing & health human resource

development training & research

The nurse is duty bound to observe the code of ethics for nurses & uphold the standard of safe nurse
practice

The nurse is required to maintain by

continued learning.

STANDARD OF CARE

- Skills & learning commonly possessed by

members of the professional.

- Purpose: to protect consumer

- The standards are used to evaluate the

gravity of care of nurses & therefore

become legal guideline for nursing practice

SELECTED LEGAL ASPECTS OF NURSING PRACTICE

LAW

- A system of principles & processes by

which people attend to control human

conduct in an effort to minimize the use of

force

Functions of LAW in Nursing:

Provide a framework for establishing which nursing action in the care of the client are legal

It differentiates the nurse’ responsibilities

from those of other health professionals

It helps establish boundaries of independent nursing action

Assist in maintaining a standard of nursing

practice by making nurses accountable

under the law

TYPES OF LAWS PERTINENT TO NURSES

PUBLIC LAW

- deals with relationships of between

individuals & government agencies

CRIME

- an act in violation of public law &

punishable by a fine or imprisonment

Crimes may be classified as:

o FELONY
§ Crime of serious nature such as murder, 1 2nd degree murder called manslaughter

(killing of another person)

Ex.: Patient who died due to incompatible blood transfusion or drug dose

MISDEMEANOUR

§ An offence of less serious nature & punishable by a fine or short term jail

sentence or both

PROHIBITIONS IN THE PRACTICE OF NURSING

Practicing nursing must have certificate of

registration (COR)

Who uses his own license/ COR of another

Who uses expired/ revoke COR

Who gives false evidence to the board of

nursing in order to obtain COR

Who poses as RN that conveyed that he/she is RN

Who appends BSN/TN to his name without being confirmed with a degree

Uses names in advertisement

NURSES’ BILL OF RIGHTS

1. Registered nurses promote and restore

health

2. Prevent illness

3. Protect the people entrusted to their care

4. Alleviate suffering

5. Provide services that maintain respect for human dignity

PATIENT’S BILL OF RIGHTS

1. Considerate and respectful care

2. Relevant, current and understandable

information

3. Make decisions regarding his care plan

4. Have advance directive (living will)

5. Every consideration of his privacy

6. Confidentiality of communications and

records

7. Review his records concerning his medical care

8. Be informed of business relationship among the hospital educational institution

9. Consent or decline to participate

experimental research affecting his care

10. Reasonable continuity of care when

appropriate and be informed of other care options

11. Be informed of hospital polices and

practices

AMENDED CODE OF ETHICS FOR NURSES

Section 3 Republic Act No. 877 known as the Philippine Nursing Law and Section 6 of P.D No. 223 the
amended Code of Ethics of Nurses

· Article I

o Preamble- health is a fundamental right of

every individual

· Article II

o Values, customs and spiritual beliefs held by

individual shall be represented

· Article III

o Human life is inviolable

o Quality and excellence in the care of patients the goals of the nursing practice

o Accurate documentation of actions and

outcomes of delivered care is the hallmark of nursing accountability

· Article IV

o The registered nurse is in solidarity with

other members of the healthcare team in

working for the patient’s best interest

· Article V

o Preservation of life, respect for human rights

and promotion of healthy environment

o Promotion in local, national, and international efforts to meet health and social needs of the people

Article VI

m Mamntenance of loyal4y to the nursing

profession and preservation of its intdgrity are ideal

· Asticle$VIIo Thg certification of registration of the

registured furse slall either be revoked ïr

sucpended for vio|ation ob anù provisions of`this codd.