Question

Describe how your service and/or involvement with a community group or organization aligns with the American Nurses Association code of ethics, specifically as it refers to: Nursing duty to self and others, Respect for human dignity and primacy of the patient's interests.

Answer 1

ANA exists to advance the nursing profession by Fostering high standards of nursing practice Promoting a safe and ethical work environment Bolstering the health and wellness of nurses.

Nurses are obligated by the code to provide fair and equal treatment that respects the “inherent dignity, worth and unique attributes of every person regardless of the factors contributing to the person's health status”

According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the nursing code of ethics is a guide for “carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession.” Ethics, in general, are the moral principles that dictate how a person will conduct.

Nurses advocate for health promotion, educate patients and the public on the prevention of illness and injury, provide care and assist in cure, participate in rehabilitation, and provide support. No other health care professional has such a broad and far-reaching role.

For those entering the nursing profession, the Code of Ethics serves as a guide. It acts as a non-negotiable standard of ethics for nurses. It also acts as a reminder of nurses' commitment to society. The code requires nurses to continue with their learning and evidence-based practice.

The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community. The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibilityto preserve integrity and safety, to maintain competence, and to continue personal and professional growth.

Nurses are obligated by the code to provide fair and equal treatment that respects the “inherent dignity, worth and unique attributes of every person regardless of the factors contributing to the person's health status”

The ethical principles that nurses must adhere to are the principles of justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence, accountability, fidelity, autonomy, and veracity. Justice is fairness. Nurses must be fair when they distribute care, for example, among the patients in the group of patients that they are taking care of.