Prompt 2: Defining Ethics in Nursing

This photo, from the American Nurses Association, shows the importance of "ethics" in the nursing profession.

When I think of nurses, my mind goes towards one main characteristic: they are compassionate. Being able to care so selflessly for other families shows that not just anyone could do this job, and do it well. Below, I found the nine main codes of ethics for nurses across America. What exactly are code of ethics? According to BusinessDictionary.com, code of ethics can be defined as follows: "A written set of guidelines issued by an organization to its workers and management to help them conduct their actions in accordance with its primary values and ethical standards."
I decided to bold main words I felt were most important in describing attributes a nurse holds.

Code of Ethics (According to the ANA)
1) The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.
2) The nurses primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, community, or population.
3) The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the right, health, and safety of the patient.
4) The nurse has authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing practice; makes decisions; and takes action consistent with the obligation to promote health and to provide optimal care.
5) The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.
6) The nurse, through individual and collective effort, establishes, maintains, and improves the ethical environment of the work setting and conditions of employment that are conducive to to safe, quality health care.
8) The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.
9) The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.

My personal ethics intercorrelate with those of nurses in many ways. I've always found taking responsibility for myself and treating others with respect at the top of my list of ethics. Integrity is an important quality that I like to hold on to, as sometimes people can get caught up and lose sight of their integrity. Working with others towards one main goal can also be included in my code of ethics. You can only do so much individually; by working with people, you are able to bring in new ideas and ultimately make turn something good into something great.

I feel as if people do have a pretty basic understanding of the ethics of nurses. They can comprehend that their job is to help when others are sick, and compassion is a necessary attribute in having good bedside manners. Nurses work with doctors and other nurses to help provide the best care available to each patient, which I'm sure each and everyone of us has seen when we've been in a doctors office or hospital.

Ethics are important in any field of study that you are considering going into, or one that you already could be in. They are important, because they keep sight of what is important and gives you a reminder of why you decided to go into the profession you are in. It was nice to read these and see that the code of ethics and my code of ethics go hand in hand. I've really found the right future job for me, and I hope you all reading this can say the same.
-Brooke B.

RESOURCE:

"Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements." Nursing World.  American Nurses Association, 2015. Web. 13 Oct. 2015.

https://www.drpetersenobgynal.com/services-procedures/breast-cancer-awareness-month.php

Think Pink! As a prospective nurse, I find it important that raising awareness towards cancer research is highly important. October is breast cancer awareness month. Doing little things, such as changing a profile picture on social media to a pink ribbon, or even wearing one, can raise awareness to these diseases that affect millions of families per year.