CODE OF ETHICS

By ;- shekhar suntha
M.Sc nursing
Mental Health Nursing
Ethics : Greek word ethos’= character
Webster dictionary = The science of moral
duty or ideal human character’
Ethics – Philosophical ideals of right
and wrong behavior.

Tells us how human beings should behave

Personal standards of conduct, or attitude

It is a science of ideal human behaviour

 Essence of ethics is……

Personal goodness
Moral behaviour
Righteous
Justice
Honesty
Rules and Regulation of
conduct
Principles
Attitude
Values
 Nursing
What …..
is Ethics
Universal.
“A system of rules or principles that
are used to guide human behavior”
Working for a noble cause.
Guiding
Dealing withforce
humaninlife.the development,
implementation and evaluation of nursing
Respect for since
practice humantherights, including
“Florence cultural
Nightingale
rights.
Era”.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
Why nursing code of ethics…
Nursing …..
• Ethics includes values, codes, and principles
that govern decisions in nursing practice.
Universal.
• Guide for action based on social values and needs.
Working for a noble cause.
• Provide means to professional standards
•Dealing
Formal with human
guidelines forlife.
the professional action
• Basis for Self regulation and relationship with
Respect
others.
for human rights, including cultural
•rights.
Evaluating the merits, risks, and social
concerns.
Right to life.
• Ethical principles are necessary to guide to
the professional
Treating development
client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
Why nursing code of ethics…
• Help in assessing the complex situations
• Better decision making
• Enhances interaction between the
health professionals and with the community
• Provide well defined policy and procedure in
resolving ethical dilemma.
• Unethical practices will be minimized
• Reflect the good image of the nurses
and the organization they work.
Why nursing code of ethics…
• Provide a sign of the
profession’s commitment to the public .
• Give a framework for the standards
of conduct.
• Provide general guidelines for
professional behavior.
• Helps to protect the rights of the individual,
family and the community
• Provide standard curriculum .
 Nursing
Who …..the Code of Ethics for Nurses…
recommends

•Universal.
The International Council For Nurses (ICN)
Working for a noble cause.
• American Nurses Association
Dealing with human life.
• Canadian Nurses Association
Respect for human rights, including cultural
rights.
• Trained Nurses Association Of India (TNAI)
Right to life.
• Indian Nursing Council.(INC)
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 The ICN- Code of Ethics for Nurses
Nursing ….. Preamble
Universal.
• Nurses have four fundamental
Working for a noble cause.
responsibilities:
To promote
•Dealing health,
with human life.
To Prevent
•Respect illness,rights, including cultural
for human
•rights.
To restore health and
• To alleviate suffering.
Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 The ICN-
Nursing ….. Code of Ethics for Nurses
Preamble……….
Universal.
• Nursing care is for all irrespective of
Working for a noble
age, colour, cause.
creed, culture, disability or
illness, gender, sexual orientation,
Dealing with human life.
nationality, politics, race or social
Respect for human rights, including cultural
status.
rights.
• Nurses render health services to the
individual, the family and the community
Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 NursingEthical
….. Principles
Universal.
• Autonomy • Justice
Working for a noble cause.
• Beneficence • Respect
• Nonwith
Dealing human life. for Persons
malfeasance
• Confidentiality • Veracity
Respect for human rights, including cultural
Double Effect
rights.
• • Informed
• Fidelity consent
Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing …..Autonomy
Definition: “autos” = self, “nomos” = rule
Universal.
– It is person’s independence and self reliance
Working for should
– People a noble cause.
have control on their own lives
– Individual rights of self determination for
Dealing with human life.
making decisions.
Respect for human
– Freedom of choicerights, including cultural
rights.
– Informed consent. right to know procedure,
complications, other options.
Right– to life.
Nurse should respect client’s decision
and choices….
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Beneficence
Nursing …..
 Duty to do good, goodness, kindness,
 Positive actions to help others
Universal.
Client
Working forinterest
a nobleiscause.
more important than
personal
Dealing with
 Care human
should be life.
beneficial to all
Respect for human
 Treating rights,
client with including cultural
dignity.
rights.
 Care to humanity.
Right to life.
 NursingNon
….. malfeasance
Universal.
Commitment ……. Balance risk and benefits
Working for a noble cause.
 Not to cause harm
Dealing with human life.harm
 Prevent
 Remove
Respect for humanharm
rights, including cultural
rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
NURSING CONFIDENTIALITY

 Maintain Confidentiality
Personal and medical
information of the client
will not disclosed to other
unless the the client gives
informed consent.
Share information
selectively
 Nursing …..
Confidentiality

Universal.
• Share or discuss patient
Working for a noble cause.
information only if it is necessary .
Dealing with human
• Never sharelife.
patient’s
identification
Respect for humannumber
rights,or including
password cultural
with
anyone.
rights.
• Follow the hospital’s or
Righthealthcare
to life. provider’s policies.
• Log off your computer when you are not
Treating client with dignity.
by your workstation/ nurses station
Care to humanity.
 Nursing ….. Justice
•Universal.
Providing nursing care equally
to all as
Working forpera needs
noble cause.
• Fairness/ unbiased
Dealing with human life.
• Giving equal treatment
Respect for humanofrights,
• Equal distribution including cultural
benefits,
rights.
costs and even risk.
Some
•Right totime
life. equality
distribution is not possible
Treating client with ,dignity.
during emergency the
services are
Care to humanity. based on priority.
 Nursing …..Respect
Universal.
Call by name
Working for a noble cause.
Respect as an individual
Dealing with
Respect human
their life.
opinion
Respect relatives
Respect for human rights, including cultural
Especially
rights. respect the women
in labour/delivery room
Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Respecting Privacy
– Establish a culture of privacy to ensure
that personal information of patients
is kept as private as possible
– Provide space
– Ensure that the patient’s body
is appropriate covered
– Informed consent
 Nursing Responsibility
…..
Universal.
 Remember you are
taking responsibility
Working for a nobleof human life
cause.
 Willing to take responsibilities
Dealing
 Having withto human life.
be answerable for
the action
Respect for human rights, including cultural
 Be accountable
rights.
 Need to remain competent-
 Knowledge
Right to life.
 Attitude
Practice client with dignity.
Treating

 Take those responsibility which are
Care to humanity.
 Accountability
 Be answerable to oneself and others for
one’s own actions.
 Nurses are accountable for judgments
made and actions taken in the course of
nursing practice.
 It is all about justifying actions, explaining
why something was (or was not) done
 Account for their actions is therefore to
establish whether they had good enough
reasons for acting in the way they did.
 Accountability
Nursing …..
Universal.
Working for a noble cause.
Dealing with human life.
Respect for human rights, including cultural
rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Advocacy

 Support for a cause

 As a nurse you support for the

health
,safety, and rights of the clients.
 Follow institutional policy and procedure

 Report any unethical occurrence

that may cause harm to the clients
Advocacy
 Nursing …..Veracity
“If you tell the truth , you don’t have to
Universal.
remember anything”.
Working
Truth is for a noble
the basis cause.trust between
for mutual
clients and health professionals.
Dealing with human life.
Provide all information truthfully
Respect for human rights, including cultural
rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing ….. Fidelity
Universal.
• Duty to be faithful to
one’sfor
Working commitments
a noble cause.
• Faithfulness
Dealing with human life.
• Keep promises
Respect for human rights, including cultural
• Don’t make promises you
rights.
cant keep;
Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing ….. OF CODE OF ETHICS
ELEMENTS
Universal.
Working for a noble cause.
Dealing with human life.
Respect for human rights, including cultural
rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing …..
COMPONENTS OF NURSING ETICS
Universal.
Working for a noble cause.
Dealing with human life.
Respect for human rights, including cultural
rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
Nurses and the people
 Nursing ….. AND THE PEOPLE
NURSES

Universal.
• The nurse’s primary professional
responsibility
Working for a noble is towards people
cause.
requiring nursing care.
Dealing with human life.
Respect
• for promotes
nurse human rights, including cultural
an environment in
rights.
which human rights, values, customs and
spiritual beliefs of the individual, family
Right to life.
and community are respected.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing ….. AND THE PEOPLE
NURSES

Universal.
• The nurse ensures that the individual
receives
Working for sufficient information
a noble cause.
• The nurse holds in confidence personal
Dealing with human life.
information and uses judgment in
Respect forthis
sharing human rights, including cultural
information.
rights.
• The nurse shares society the
with
responsibility
Right to life. for and
initiating supporting
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing ….. AND THE PEOPLE
NURSES

Universal.
• Action to meet the health and social
needsfor
Working of the public,
a noble in particular those
cause.
of vulnerable populations.
Dealing
• Thewith
nurse human life. responsibility to
also shares
sustain
Respect forand protect
human the natural
rights, including cultural
environment from depletion, pollution,
rights.
degradation And destruction.
Right to life.health education
• Provide
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nurses
Nursing …..and the practice
Universal.
• Provide care as per set standards
Working• for a noble cause.
Maintains standards of
personal
Dealing with humanconduct
life.
• Respect individual and family
Respect for human rights, including cultural
• Enhance the
rights.
competency
/knowledge
Right to life. and skill
with changing needs.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing ….. and Practice
Nurses
Universal.
• The nurse, in providing care, ensures
Working
thatfor
use aofnoble cause. and
technology
scientific advances are compatible
Dealing with human life.
with the safety, dignity and rights
Respect for human rights, including cultural
of people.
rights.
• Promote participation of individuals and
others in patient care
Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing
NURSES…..
AND THE PROFESSION
Universal.
• Develop professional knowledge
Working for a noble
• Developing cause. based
research
professional knowledge.
Dealing with human life.
• Work in the professional
Respectorganization
for human rights, including cultural
rights.
• Developing equitable and social
working condition for nurses.
Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing ….. AND
NURSES CO-WORKERS
• Co-operative relationship
Universal.
• Respect
Working for a noble cause.
• Collaborate
• Acceptance
Dealing with human life.
• Respect point of view
Respect for human rights, including cultural
rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing …..
Universal.
Working for a noble cause.
Dealing with human life.
Respect for human rights, including
cultural rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 ETHICS IN INDIA
Nursing …..
Universal.
Working for a noble cause.
Dealing with human life.
Respect for human rights, including cultural
rights.

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Care to humanity.
 Nursing …..
Indian Nursing Council : Code Of Ethics

Universal. Respect Uniqueness of the person

Working for
Maintain competency
to render quality
a noble cause. Respect rights
of the individual
care
Dealing with human life.
Practice within Demonstrate personal
Respect for human rights, including cultural
framework of ethical, etiquettes

rights.
legal and
professional
boundaires

Right to life.
Treating client with dignity.
Respect privacy and confidentiality
Care to humanity.
Situations of ethical dilemma in nursing
• Abortions
• Disclosure of HIV/AIDS status to spouse
• Sterilization
• Genetic research and congenital
malformation in foetus
• Surrogacy and sperm donation
• Age for written consent
• Test tube baby
• Resuscitation
Situations of ethical dilemma in nursing

• Euthanasia (Physician Assisted Suicide)

• Inappropriate Medication Orders:
• Unsafe nurse-patient ratio:
• Life threatening patient’s decision:
• Inappropriate task: for floating nurse
• Unresponsive physician:
 Nurse’s Ethical Challenge
• Be aware about yourself and your values
• Be Knowledgeable about professional
standards
• Know your job and develop skill to
perform
• Develop effective interpersonal
relationship
• Develop rapport with the clients and
relatives
• Participate in the ethical committee
meetings
• Perform what is been taught
 Nurse’s Ethical Challenge
 Care to all without discrimination
 Respect to the clients and relatives
 Use words carefully
 Accept patient with his /her religious belief
 Take responsibility and delegate
responsibility carefully
 Act as per informed decision
and choices
 Always act in the best interest
of the client
 Be aware about legal precedents
 Rights of the patients
 Rights of personal dignity:
 Calling by name.
 Give due respect as per age.
 Maintain privacy.
 Modesty : knocking doors, pulling curtains.
 Provide Best possible appearance,
personal hygiene and care.
 Listening to the patient carefully.
 Accepting the individuals feeling as
real without judging right or
wrong.
 Rights of the patients
• Right to receive timely and qualified care in a
setting appropriate to health care needs.
• Right to participate in decisions
• Right to refuse treatment
• Right to receive information regarding their
illness, the course of treatment, and prospects
for good health
• Right to approve and refuse the release of their
medical records.
• Patient has the right to access their
medical record.
 Rights of the patients
• Right to express complaints and satisfaction
regarding services rendered without fear
of discrimination..

• Right to comment and make suggestions for

improvement of the quality of care and
services.

• Right to receive respectful care in a safe and

secure environment with respect and regard
for privacy, individuality, personal beliefs and
cultural traditions.
 Rights of the patients
• Right to privacy and confidentiality of their
records – records are to be maintained in a safe
and secure environment.
• Right to know the professional status of the
person(s) treating them
• Right to know, in advance of services, the cost of
services and any applicable payment policy.
• Right to appoint a legal representative to make
decisions regarding their health care.
• Right to refuse to participate in
research/experimental activities.
 Rights of the patients…
Rights to assistance towards independence
 Motivate and build self esteem for
self care
 Assist in activity of daily living
 Helping attitude and show interest while
caring
 Involve family members
 Direct or provide necessary information
for self care
 Be around
 Rights of the patients…
individual care
 Provide Care based on needs
 Respect the client while performing
the nursing procedure
 Allow family member to be with the client as
far as possible
 Plan diet as per cultural back ground
 Allow personal belongings
 Allow religious rituals , if it is not disturbing
to other and client or treatment
“They may forgot your name; but they will
never forget how you made them feel.”

Proud to be a nurse ,

Practice safe , be safe

Thank You
“They may forgot your name; but they will
never forget how you made them feel.”

Proud to be a nurse ,

Practice safe , be safe

Thank You
 Florence Nightingales
Pledge
I solemnly pledge myself before God and in
the presence of this assembly, to pass my life
in purity and to practice my profession
faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is
deleterious and mischievous, and will not take
or knowingly administer any harmful drug.
 Florence Nightingales
Pledge
I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the
standard of my profession, and will hold in
confidence all personal matters committed to my
keeping and all family affairs coming to my
knowledge in the practice of my calling. With
loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician, in his
work, and devote myself to the welfare of those
committed to my care.