Ethics in Nursing Notes

Ethics in Nursing

Definitions

  • Ethics: The study or examination of morality through a variety of different approaches.

  • Ethics deals specifically with the concepts of right and wrong.

  • Ethics involves critical thinking and actions:

    • Ethical sensitivity: Helps us recognize when there is an ethical problem or dilemma.

    • Ethical reflection and analysis: Enables us to think critically to rank our ethical obligations and priorities.

    • Ethical decision making: A method of ensuring that the action we take is well reasoned and can be justified.

    • Moral courage: Enables us to act on our decisions even under the most challenging circumstances.

Scope

  • Societal Ethics

  • Healthcare Law

  • Scope of Nursing Practice

  • Organizational Ethics:

    • Systems, practices, policies, and procedures

  • Bioethics/Clinical/Research Ethics:

    • Research using humans as test subjects

  • Professional Ethics:

    • American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses

  • Personal Ethics:

    • May differ from those of the society or organization in which we work

Professional Ethics

  • Ethical standards and expectations of a profession.

  • Nurses are held to a higher standard because of the privileged role they have in society.

  • Ethics become a fundamental element of your professional identity and character.

  • Codes of conduct are aimed at the highest ideals of practice.

  • American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics.

Sources of Ethics

  • Family

  • Personal Experiences

  • Profession

  • Society

  • Culture

  • Peers

  • Religion

Ethical Problem vs. Dilemma

  • Ethical problem: a problem with an ethical dimension, most with reasonably clear solutions & others more complex

  • Ethical dilemma: a problem for which something wrong must be done in order to do something right

    • Impossible to meet all the ethical requirements in the situation.

    • Must be sensitive to the ethical dimensions of a situation.

    • Able to use ethical concepts to analyze and reflect on the ethical conflicts within the dilemma.

Processing an Ethical Dilemma

  • Who should make the choice?

  • Do I have a duty to tell the truth?

  • What is the greater harm?

  • Are there alternatives?

  • What are the consequences?

  • To whom is my primary loyalty?

  • What are the best interests of my patient?

Ethical Principles

  • Respect for persons: Autonomy

  • To do good: Beneficence

  • To do no harm: Non-maleficence

  • Treating others equitably, fairly, and appropriately: Justice

  • Loyalty, faithfulness, being trustworthy: Fidelity

  • The duty to tell the truth: Veracity

Ethical Theories

  • Deontology

    • What is the right thing to do? What is my moral duty?

  • Utilitarianism

    • What action will create the greatest good for the greatest number?

  • Ethics of Character (Virtue)

    • What is right based on my life experiences?

  • Ethics of Relationship (Caring)

    • What is the most caring response?

Ethical Issues in Nursing

  • Protecting clients’ rights and human dignity.

  • Not respecting informed consent treatment.

  • Providing care with risk to the health of the nurse.

  • Using or not using chemical or physical restraints.

  • Understaffing.

  • Prolonging the living and dying process with inappropriate measures.

  • Policies that could threaten the quality of care.

  • Working with unethical or impaired colleagues.