The importance of ethical codes in nursing care

Abstract

Introduction: The ethics of the nursing profession is formulated by the International Code of Ethics for Nurses, which is valid for all nurses around the world. The importance of this code is indisputable, especially in situations that require ethical conduct. However, as the current health care system evolves, so must the content of these codes. The stimuli for these updates can be provided by the nurses in practice. Objective: The aim is to point out the importance and use of codes of ethics in contemporary nursing in various countries and the need to innovate the code of ethics in the Czech environment. Methods: A literary search for keywords according to PICO was performed using Boolean operators. Professional resources were searched in scientific electronic databases (EBSCO, PubMed, ProQuest, WOS). Results: A total of 252 sources were searched. 153 sources that met the required criteria were subsequently subjected to critical analysis. Of this number, 10 studies were used for the final analysis, which focused on the views of nurses on codes of ethics and ethical conflicts in the practice of nurses. Conclusions:The studies examined show that nurses are aware of the importance of the code of ethics. However, whilst most nurses are generally aware of the code, many do not know the exact content and how it should help them in practice. During the provision of nursing care, nurses encounter many ethical dilemmas, especially in the area of differences in some values. Some studies have found that nurses sometimes perceive that patients' rights are higher priority than their own rights. It is therefore important that codes of ethics do not forget to promote the rights of nurses themselves.

Ethical care in patients with Covid-19: A grounded theory

“…Accordingly, the science of ethics can be considered a science that defines a framework by expressing the value and necessity of acquired traits and optional actions in order to achieve a desirable life [ 1 , 2 ]. With this description, ethics can be considered the basic pillar of the nursing profession [ 3 ], because nursing care and interventions are a subset of optional tasks [ 4 ]. Therefore, commitment to ethics in the matter of care is the central core of nursing values and forms the basis of nursing practice and the framework of nurses’ behavior with patients [ 3 ].…”

“…With this description, ethics can be considered the basic pillar of the nursing profession [ 3 ], because nursing care and interventions are a subset of optional tasks [ 4 ]. Therefore, commitment to ethics in the matter of care is the central core of nursing values and forms the basis of nursing practice and the framework of nurses’ behavior with patients [ 3 ]. Non-observance of ethical values in care not only has a significant, negative impact on patients [ 5 ], such as delaying recovery, increasing the possibility of physical and mental injuries [ 6 ], the non-observance of patient rights, and ultimately reducing patient satisfaction [ 7 ], it will also have negative consequences for nurses, including the triggering of anger, demoralization, decreased motivation, and an unwillingness to stay in the nursing profession [ 8 ].…”

“…Undoubtedly, nursing knowledge can be enhanced by an in-depth identification of operational processes for providing ethical care. In other words, knowing the right path, having the right ethical reasoning, and finally choosing the correct action according to the situation the nurse has experienced are effective factors in minimizing ethical dilemmas in the care of these patients [ 3 ]. To determine how to provide ethical care to Covid-19 patients and identify the factors affecting it, experiences should be examined and understood from the perspective of the participants.…”

Effectiveness of an instructional program on nurses-midwifes' knowledge about application of ethical rules at the delivery room

“…Professional ethics appear to be essential to the nursing profession since ethical guidelines would be an essential component to improve nursing care in all areas (Toumová et al, 2021;Mohajjel-Aghdam et al, 2013). As a result, all healthcare providers must have appropriate nursing knowledge to respect their patients' rights (Yousefzadeh et al, 2017).…”