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Ethics Paper

Shelby Pratt

LPN Program

Clinical

PNUR 128: Issues in Practical Nursing

Holly Boylan – Instructor

15 March 2021
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Ethics Paper

Introduction

As I near the end of nursing school, I must think about transitioning from student to

nurse. This transition will be made easier if I enter into it already knowing what ethical values I

possess. In this paper, I reflect upon those values and how they will help guide my career in

nursing. One referenced article speaks on the importance of incorporating teaching of ethics into

the nursing curriculum:

“The nursing profession has an obligation to prepare nurses for the ethical morass of

clinical practice; and high-quality ethics pedagogy should be an essential component of

nursing education.” (Hoskins)

Part 1

Personal Values Self-Assessment

A competent nursing professional must be able to identify their own ethical values. These

values will shape how they practice in their field of nursing care. “Developing ethical awareness

is one way to empower nurses to act as moral agents in order to provide patients with safe and

ethical care” (Millikin). Values can be easily related to ethical principles: nonmaleficence,

beneficence, autonomy, fidelity, and justice.

Nonmaleficence means to do no harm. Included in this principle is the avoidance of the

risk of harm (Francis). Beneficence is another ethical principle meaning to do good. This means

to promote good and provide assistance to others. Autonomy means that people are free to

choose and make their own decision. In healthcare, it is important that patients make their own
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decisions as much as possible, as they are able to. The next ethical principle is fidelity. Fidelity

means to be true and honest. If mistakes occur, it is important to always own up to them and

admit any wrongs or errors. Lastly, there is the principle of justice. Justice means being fair to

everyone, regardless of their background or status. This is especially important to me. I

recognize that in my practice, I will treat everyone fairly. No one is more than or less than

anyone else in my eyes.

I can use these ethical principles to determine which values I hold dear and determine to

be important as I move forward into practicing as a licensed nurse. Just like fidelity, I believe

that honesty is one of my strongest personal values. Honesty in the profession of nursing can

mean admitting mistakes and owning up to them. It is better to be honest and admit that a

mistake was made. This way, the error can be corrected, rather than covered up and potentially

leading to worse issues.

I also value kindness. Especially as nurses, we see people who are not always in a great

place mentally. Kindness can mean a great deal to different people. We never truly know what

others are going through, so being kind can make a world of difference in certain situations.

Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. I find that in

general, you get further when you are kind to others.

Love of family is the final personal value that I possess. I believe that this value of love of

family will help me when working with diverse patient populations and their families. As we

learned in school, the patient is not always one person, but their family and support systems, too.

This value will help me to treat others the way in which I would like my family members to be

treated.
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Part 2

Reflection

“Nursing practice is inextricably entwined with moral complexity” (Hoskins).

Sometimes, the values we hold dear may cause conflict in caring for others. As students, we are

taught to provide competent nursing care without overstepping boundaries. As I mentioned

previously, my love of family is one value that shapes my personal ethical framework. I think

that this value might be hard for me when I go on to work in long-term care. I will work with the

geriatric population, and it will be hard not to see them as “grandma and grandpa”-like figures. I

know that I will have to push those types of relationships aside in order to provide equal care to

all residents in an unbiased manner.

Another value that might cause conflict is honesty. I believe in being honest in all

situations, no matter the outcome. However, I do not want to hurt anyone by being too honest in

a time when the truth might hurt someone’s feelings. I do think it is important to be honest about

the things that matter: “truth-telling, informed consent, and protecting the rights and welfare of

patients and families in decision making” (Hoskins).

Part 3

Putting It All Together: My Personal Code of Ethics for Nursing Practice

I realize that I must be fluid and able to adapt and grow as I gain experience in the field

of nursing. As a student nurse, I have not yet had much experience. My views may change as I

practice and get acquainted in this profession. Still, I know some things will always be important

to me: honesty, kindness, and love of family. I will keep an open mind as I transition into

practice and grow as a nurse. I will do my best to always do the right thing for my patients.
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Conclusion

Understanding what values are important to you helps you to determine your own

personal ethical framework. One must be fluid and recognize that values might change over time

and with experience. Three of my personal values are honestly, kindness, and love of family. I

will use these values whenever ethical dilemmas arise. I will do my best to provide competent

and quality nursing care.

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References

Francis, I. (November 2017). Using Classical Ethical Principles to Guide mHealth Design. On -

Line Journal of Nursing Informatics, 21(3). https://www-proquest-

com.monroeccc.idm.oclc.org/docview/1984820031?accountid=54490

Hoskins, K., Grady, C., & Ulrich, C. M. (January 2018). Ethics Education in Nursing: Instruction

for Future Generations of Nurses. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(1).

doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No01Man03

Knecht, P. (2017). Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing: From student to leader. Elsevier.

Millikin, A. (January 2018). Ethical Awareness: What It Is and Why It Matters. The Online

Journal of Issues in Nursing,23(1). doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No01Man01