ANA Code of Ethics

ANA Codes of Ethics for Nurses have been created with the purpose of ensuring that nurses provide clients with the best possible level of service in a way that focuses on patient needs. There are nine codes of ethics, each of which will be discussed with a professional example. The first Code relates to the nurse's professional relationships, which are to be conducted with a focus on the inherent dignity and worth of individuals, regardless of specific considerations such as health problems or social status.

Professionally, a nurse would therefore treat a poverty-stricken AIDS victim with the same dignity and respect as the President of the United States, should both be patients in the care of the hospital. Secondly, the nurse is primarily committed to the patient, in terms of an individual, family, group, or community. Professionally, this means that nothing in the nurse's professional or private life should be allowed to interfere with the care of the patient.

If a nurse's personal state of mind interferes with this duty, for example, he or she should step down from duty and allow others to take over. The third Code relates to the health, safety, and rights of the patient. This is particularly important in terms of the right to dignity and life. Patients who cannot afford exorbitant doctor's or hospital fees should not be turned away. Instead, the nurse should strive to find ways to provide such a patient with the care he or she needs.

In Code 4, the nurse's individual nursing practice should be conducted in such a way that relevant tasks and duties are delegated to the persons most suitable for actions to be taken. Some hospitals, for example, include teams of various professionals who can care for different needs assessed in patients. The nurse should, for example, know where to send a person in need of a CAT scan or one in need of psychological counseling.

In Code 5, the nurse is expected to care for him- or herself in the same way as for others, such as preserving integrity, safety, competence, and professional growth. One example of this in the profession is attending a number of conferences that would enhance the nurse's knowledge of health care and new research. Code 6 concerns the nurse's participation in professional concerns such as the maintenance and improvement of health care environments and conditions of employment.

In the hospital setting, for example, a nurse should have the power and confidence to establish open communication with administrators. When an environmental problem is identified, the nurse should be willing to raise this as an issue with his or her superiors and participate in eliminating the problem. In Code 7, the nurse is required to participate in the advancement of the profession. This is done by means of practice, education, administration and knowledge development. Professionally, it is important that nurses conduct regular research.

Much time and effort can be saved by conducted research in a team set-up, where nurses take turn to conduct research and educate.