Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing Essay

Throughout a shelters sea captain person career, many difficult respectable and legal situations will arise. Since nanny-goats are assumption the unique privilege of caring for patients and their families, it is important to uphold certain professional standards. The American Nursing Association (ANA) encipher of Nursing Ethics provides a foundation on which a throw should conduct her professional life. In appendage to the Code of Ethics, go down ons must also balance their personal determine along with legal standards to make the best decisions for their patients. A binds first priority is to the patient and providing safe and competent care. According to the ANA (2001), provision 1 of the Code of Ethics states The blow, in all professional relationships, practices with lenity and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health proble ms.(p.1)The harbour is bound by duty to respect the wishes of the patient and family in regards to residuum of life decisions. In the case of Marianne, a committee is forced to ease a family make a difficult decision regarding the life of a loved one. Since the patient is unable to express her wishes and had no advance directive, the nurse has an obligation to ensure that the family is informed and knowledgeable on her care. The nurse ineluctably to support the family in the decision-making process and refer the family to other resources to assist in the decision making process. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, such as consulting with an morality committee, is one resource that is available to the family to assist in the decision-making process. In addition to difficult end of life decisions, the Code of Ethics can be used to guide decisions in cases of malpractice. Provision 3 states, The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives toprotect the health, safety, and rights of the patient (ANA, 2001).In other words, the Code of Ethics leads the nurse to delivery practice that is substandard and may jeopardize patient care. The nurse should win policy and procedures of the facility to report such behavior, but if measures are non taken to ensure the integrity of nursing practice then the nurse may report to outside agencies, such as state departments. The nurse also has an obligation to ensure that the proper assistance or discourse is provided to assist in the impaired nurses recovery. While the Code of Ethics provides an important foundation on which to base behavior, any ethical decision involves an evaluation of ones set of personal and social values. According to Uustal (1993).Nursing is a behavioral manifestation of the nurses value system. It is not merely a career, a job, an assignment it is a ministry (p.10).Nurses need to be aware of their beliefs so that they can recognize and consume that a patient may have different values and belie fs. The nurse needs to interact with the patient and the family in a nonjudgmental, caring way. The nurse needs to take care not to influence the patient in making choices based on her beliefs or what she believes is right. The nurses subroutine is to be supportive to patients and their families in actions that are congruent with the code of ethics. many conflicts that may compromise the nurses personal beliefs may allow in end of life decisions, abortions or refusal of medical treatment. For example, a nurse may support pro-life decision-making but is bound to respect the patients wishes if they seek a legal abortion. Furthermore, a nurse needs to approve a patients decision to forego treatment, even if the nurse believes that that treatment represents the best option for the patient.ReferencesAmerican Nurses Association. (2001). Code of ethics for nurses with informative statements. Retrieved from http//www.nursingworld.org/ethics/code/protected_nwcoe303.html. Uustal, D. (199 3). Clinical ethics and valuesissues and insights in a changing healthcare environment. Educational Resources in Healthcare, 12 (2), 10.