Lisa Sims, CRNP



Sims Bibliography Card IIMain idea: Ethical perspectives important to nursing, the effect of critical thinking on nursing ethics, and the importance of moral development in nurses are highlighted in this article. There is emphasis placed on collaboration in patient care in nursing, each nurse is individually responsible and accountable for their own practice. Summary: Ethical issues in our current health care industry and the challenges confronting nurses are discussed. Nurses are serving on ethics as patient advocates on ethics committees in institutions. Some of the conflicts that are being seen as ethical issues in institutions are the right to refuse treatment do not resuscitate (DNR) status, vulnerable populations, costs and patient’s autonomy (Alichnie, 2012). Medical professional must be able to distinguish between the legal and ethical responsibility in the health care industry. Responsibility refers to the liability associated with performance of one's duties in a particular role. Responsibility carries with it the ability to make moral judgments or rational decisions on one's own and be answerable for one's own behavior. The accountability and responsibility issues are discussed in the interpretive statements of the code of ethics. The environment in which nurse work can create challenges that effect ethical decisions. Whatever role the nurse is fulfilling, they must be aware that such conflicts of interest may disrupt the type of care they are used to giving their patients. The nurse is ethically responsible for being aware of the potential effects cost-cutting measures may have on patient care. This is challenged due to nurse shortage, demand on time and lack of autonomy and market forces (Alichnie, 2012). Synthesis: The traditional ethics of nursing are changing due to changes in health care delivery systems, and contemporary nursing ethics are changing to meet these new demands. Nurses now must keep the patient as their primary commitment by recognizing that nursing is now achieved through an interdependence of nurses playing different roles and working together to make sure everyone involved in the care of a patient has a voice in the decision-making process about patient care issues. Nurses also contribute to the spectrum of nursing through leadership activities and professional organizations. Application:The sensitivity of the need to provide easy transition of new nurses into a work environment where experienced nurses are already maintaining high standard is found most interesting and reflective. The author’ purpose was to provide a self reflection that nursing ethics have evolved ever since Florence Nightingale's time and continue to evolve as the face of health care changes. The author assumes that the lateral violence and incivility have been in existence from the beginning of the nursing profession when it could be the stress levels that are being experienced create the lateral violence and incivility. This article provide knowledge that the basic moral and ethical principles of nursing do not change, which are to respect the patient's dignity and privacy and to make the patient their primary commitment. Sound moral and ethical judgment is needed in today's nurses, and critical thinking needs to be an essential part of their training to equip them to deal with the complexities of today's health care systems. Nurses need to make a commitment to resolving social ills whenever possible, and with the move away from a patient-centered ethic, many see their role as social advocates. They do this collaboratively through educating the public about health concerns at the community level.Question:Wonder what the answer would be if nurses were asked when was the last time they reviewed the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Do you think this is something that institutions should require as part of annual competencies? ReferenceAlichnie, C. A. (2012). Ethics and nursing. Pennsylvania Nurse, 67(2), 5-26. ................
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