Show According to Gallup polls, nursing has ranked as the most honest and ethical profession 20 years in the running. Nursing has been highly regarded since Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, made it into a reputable, ethical profession. In fact the ethical principles in nursing, which now guide contemporary nursing, have many ties to Nightingale’s theories. Once you earn a nursing degree and begin working as a nurse, you will face ethical situations on a daily basis at the societal, organizational and clinical level. How they choose to respond does not happen without decisions being made. These decisions are based on the application of ethical principles. These principles need not only be applied in dealing with patients but also in the care of their families and related groups. Ethical Principles in NursingThese principles ultimately optimize patient care and outcomes: Respect for AutonomyAutonomy means that the patients are able to make independent decisions. This means that nurses should be sure patients have all of the needed information that is required to make a decision about their medical care and are educated. The nurses do not influence the patient’s choice. Examples of nurses demonstrating this include obtaining informed consent from the patient for treatment, accepting the situation when a patient refuses a medication, and maintaining confidentiality. Non-maleficenceThis means that nurses must do no harm intentionally. Nurses must provide a standard of care which avoiding risk or minimizing it, as it relates to medical competence. An example of nurses demonstrating this principle includes avoiding negligent care of a patient. BeneficenceBeneficence is defined as kindness and charity, which requires action on the part of the nurse to benefit others. An example of a nurse demonstrating this ethical principle is by holding a dying patient’s hand. JusticeJustice means being impartial and fair. Nurses making impartial medical decisions demonstrate this, whether it relates to limited resources or new treatments regardless of economic status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. Nursing Code of EthicsAnother valuable resource for nurses is the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Originally adopted in 1950, the Code is used in challenging situations and is considered to be non-negotiable The Code was revised in 2015 and includes interpretive statements, which can provide specific guidance for nurses in practice. Wondering what’s included in the Code of Ethics?
The Code is applicable to all types of nursing, from researcher, to manager, to staff nurses, and public health nurses. At times nurses may also may need approach ethical situations from a team approach, as the most challenging decisions are not to be made by just one person. This interprofessional team (which can be comprised of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, etc.) is commonly called the ethics committee. The role of ethics in nursing will continue to prove important as healthcare is ever changing and challenging the status quo. Nurses need to have an understanding of the ethical principles to recognize and consider ethical dilemmas. This must be discussed early in the educational journey of students, and nurses must be held accountable to the standards and principles set forth, as they shape the future of nursing. Dr. Stacey Rosenberg joined SNHU as an adjunct faculty in 2014 and transitioned to the role of associate dean of faculty early in 2018. She is a board certified adult health clinical nurse specialist and a certified nurse educator with clinical experience in acute care and community/public health.
SNHU is a nonprofit, institutionally accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone. Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs. Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.
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Dall’s Porpoise are among the fastest swimmers of all cetaceans, which includes dolphins and whales. This porpoise swims at such high speeds – up to 56 km/h (35 mph) – that observers often see only the cone-shaped water spray kicked up by its head, rather than the porpoise itself. The Dall’s porpoise often playfully rides the waves rolling off the bows and sterns of boats. As it plays, it sometimes zigzags over the waves so vigorously that it unwittingly escapes the aim of harpooners poised on deck. Due to its athletic habits, this porpoise must eat a great deal of food – up to 15 kg (33 lb) a day. It feeds on small fish and various cephalopods, including squid, primarily at night. ... Page 3
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary mainly for the formation of blood clots. Without this vitamin, bleeding would not stop. Vitamin K is given as an injection to newborns to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding, since the level of blood clotting factors of newborn babies are roughly 30–60% that of adult values. The reason for this discrepancy is due to poor transfer of the vitamin across the placenta, and thus low fetal plasma vitamin K. Occurrence of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in the first week of the infant's life is estimated at 0.25–1.7%, with a prevalence of 2–10 cases per 100,000 births. Since the vitamin is found in human milk and supplemented in infant formula, the concentration of vitamin K naturally rises within th ... Page 4
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