Code of Conduct and Principle of the Ethics
The NMC code contains the professional values to which the nursing sector adhere to while they are protecting the public in the nursing profession. The four most critical professional values, which are, prioritizing the people, practising effectively, maintaining safety and promoting professionalism are the essential values in nursing practice (Artal and Rubenfeld, 2017). Nursing is a calling but to ensure safety during the care of all patients, the professional values of the Code must be respected during the service, regardless of whether the nurse provides direct care to individuals or groups. The Code’s principles can be applied in several different practical configurations, but are not negotiable at its discretion.
Demonstration of trust while handling patients is the overarching professional value in nursing practice. When administering medication, nurses should always justify that trust and without forgetting the privilege of caring for an individual. This can include providing personal care and listening to someone to reveal their deepest concerns and fears to patients (Thistlethwaite, 2018).
The NMC Code gives measures to ensure that nurses prioritize personal care of patients and respect their dignity. Nurses need to embrace the dignity of people while they are administrating medicines and taking care of the patients. This value makes the nursing profession to be effective in managing the patients. Working with others to protect and support the health and well-being of those close to the heart are vital for nurses—nursing profession adhering to this value in Code of ethic results to effective teamwork enshrined in the Code. Various nurses lead teams at the start of their careers and therefore, must be effective leaders. In management, nurses must be fully aware of their responsibility to safely and effectively delegate care and risk management in and out of the hospitals (Artal & Rubenfeld, 2017).
In the nursing profession, being honest and open while showing high integrity in the line of duty is important in NMC order. Safe and evidence-based medicine administration requires a reasonable open person who can justify the kind of medication administered to a patient (Thistlethwaite, 2018).
Legal and Ethical Principles in Nursing
Ethical Principles
Nurses are responsible for patients and the public in general. In nursing, it is essential to have a good understanding of the different ethical issues which come in line within this professional career. Nurses have three main tasks: autonomy, confidentiality and care for the patients. The duties are integrated into the professional value of beneficence, which means supporting and doing good and acting in the best interest of the patient and non-maleficence, which means avoiding evil. These are professional obligations that become legal obligations in case of violation of laws or guidelines during nursing practice (Artal & Rubenfeld, 2017).
Patients have the right to make decisions according to their beliefs and values. This is called autonomy. Patient’s autonomy may differ with nursing guidelines that the nurses consider to be the best. It is a person’s choice on whether to take medication or refuse even any medical intervention, regardless of the benefits that can be obtained. If a patient decides not to get the medication that could benefit them, the nurse needs to comply with this option (Gray, 2019). Healthcare workers should refrain from abuse, minimize harm and support the well-being of patients. This is the obligation of beneficence which nurses must uphold. In the health industry, this translates into a balance between benefit and risk for the patient. Beneficence situations include supporting and individual doing task they are unable to do for themselves quickly and securely (Artal & Rubenfeld, 2017).
Patients have the right to be handled fairly and equitably by the nurses. In the healthcare industry, the lack of healthcare insurance for certain patients is the main problem in ensuring justice for all patients. Patients have the right not to be harmed in any situation. In the event of non-abuse, nurses should avoid harming patients. This principle is probably the most difficult to maintain. When life support is suspended, or patients have stopped taking life-saving medication, the nurse finds themselves in a morally demanding position (Mafuba, 2018).
Nurses need to stick to the Code of ethics in their profession and portray a high level of integrity and moral character. It is mandatory to have a clear and basic understanding of the most important ethical principles. The nursing profession supports the need to have a sound patient management system while helping the patient’s right to identify cultural norms and requirements. Even though ethical obligations in nursing are challenging, they represent a true integration of inpatient care (Mafuba, 2018).
Legal Issue
The legal consideration in nursing practising is centred on licensing and federal laws, the scope of the practice, and the public expectations to be done at a high professional level. The standard for teaching nursing and certification provides the framework for the medical sector to practice. If a medical person practice is below required standards of care and skill, they are subject to litigation. Nursing practice is subject to disciplinary guidelines, and the governing body has more influence over its members than medical, legal entities (Spence, 2019). NMC established various standards and requirements for teaching nursing in ethics and professionalism in the UK.
The reason for litigation in nursing is related to professional negligence and failure to handle the nursing job to the level of care that a sensible and prudent nurse would produce in similar circumstances; and professional negligence, that is, an act of negligence that occurs in the nurse’s professional role. Rescue procedures and judicial commissions also subject nurses to professional licensing procedures and examinations. Litigation and revision of professional licenses can result in the dismissal of the nursing license or the loss of the nursing license.
Correctional medical staffs can be vulnerable to litigation since correctional patients have health care. Failure to provide detainees with access to medical care to meet their urgent medical is a severe violation of their rights (Artal & Rubenfeld, 2017).
Inmates have several options for accessing health services, including sending a form or request form. Apart from that, communicating orally is also another way, for instance, seeking assistance from correctional officers about the need to consult a doctor or notify the nurse of a health problem when administering the medication (Mafuba, 2018). Whatever the procedure, the nurses have the ethical and legal obligation to respond to the request for assistance. Ethical issues vary widely from interruption of treatment in end-of-life care to simple procedures that require approval. Nurses must learn the ethics of this profession to ensure that there are no mistakes. Becoming aware of ethical issues implies a rational reflection on what should be done in specific contexts and respect for the principles that guide this behaviour (Mafuba, 2018).
Scope and Limitation in Medicine Field
The purpose of a profession is to provide a variety of legal services. In the nursing sector, the wide range of nursing practices includes health protection, health maintenance and health restoration. The nursing practice aims to help the public to achieve and maintain ideal health to maximize the quality of life throughout life. Nursing practice is achieved through nursing knowledge through the use of critical thinking and skill. Nursing focuses on the principles of a holistic approach to service, which takes into account the biological, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients. In the medical field, the scope of nursing practice is flexible so as to meet the current developments and changes experienced in public health needs. Nursing practice is conducted in the context of continuous changes and advancements due to in research and technology, the introduction of new approaches in healthcare and a greater variety of professionals who share several areas of shared competence. Nurses work professionally concerning the services that they legitimately offer to the public (Mafuba, 2018).
Environmental and occupational safety issues are associated with possible ethical conflicts. Most nurses are in situations where they want to defend patients where there is a risk of adverse environmental exposure. In this case, however, nurses fear the negative effects of their careers. For instance, an occupational health nurse can compromise their work by campaigning for an expensive change in the workplace that creates a safer environment for workers. Nurses have ethical issues related to the resistance of various political and community forces. Even persons at risk to health can deny or hide the risk because they fear to lose their job or losing value if the risk is made public. For example, migrant employees may not want to risk their income for health and safety reasons. The residential and commercial development of community leaders can also be seen as more important than noise and water pollution (Mafuba, 2018).
Concerns regarding the privacy of workers health information are important, especially when managers who threaten inferior jobs in occupational health are threatened with work if they do not disclose specific medical data of staff. While companies have a right to know whether their employees have the physical and mental capacity to do the job, they also have the right to keep certain information about their medical or health diagnoses secret. This often leads to conflicting loyalty to nurses. In such scenarios, nurses must follow professional codes of ethics, general and specific to their field of activity (LEE-WOOLF & BROOKS, 2018).
Everyone has the right to be aware of real or potential health risks when making informed decisions about protecting their health and that of children. For instance, in the situation of toxic spillages in an environment, health professionals have an ethical obligation to inform all stakeholders about the possible consequences of exposure. In some situations, community leaders adopt stances and believe that they know what is best for disseminating information (Laaser et al., 2016). This environment puts certain segments of the population at risk because they do not have access to medical care and are not at risk of continuous exposure such as the individuals who are closest to a spill and susceptible populations, such as children who live near a chemical spill. Nurses need to be aware of the potential risks and can act independently to provide community members with the necessary information based on their professional, ethical responsibilities (Munden, (2017).
In the context of nursing research on environmental health issues, ethical dilemmas may also arise, such as whether control groups should be identified, and study interventions need to be denied access. Other research topics related to environmental health interventions are the best way to protect confidentiality and obtain informed and meaningful consent. Resources to resolve ethical conflicts related to environmental health issues must be a pivotal part of nursing education at all stages of practice.
References
Artal, R. and Rubenfeld, S., 2017. Ethical issues in research. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 43, pp.107-114.
Gray, J. R. (2019). Examining Ethics in Nursing Research. Understanding Nursing Research: First South Asia Edition, E-Book: Building an Evidence-Based Practice, 90.
Jamieson, E., Whyte, L.A. and McCall, J.M., 2019. Clinical Nursing Practices: Guidelines for Evidence-Based Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.LEE-WOOLF, E.L.I.Z.A.B.E.T.H. and BROOKS, J., 2018. Essentials of Nursing: Values, Knowledge, Skills and Practice JOANNE TIMPSON. Foundations of Adult Nursing, p.1.
Laaser, U. and Schröder-Bäck, P., 2016. Towards a Code of Conduct for the European Public Health Profession!. South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, 5(1).
Mafuba, K., Forster, M., Kupara, D. and Gates, B., 2018. Improving the health of people with a learning disabilities: a public health nursing approach final literature review report.
Munden, L.M., 2017. The covert administration of medications: legal and ethical complexities for health care professionals. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 45(2), pp.182-192.
Spence, D., 2019. Ethics–valued principle or not?. Coatings SA, 7(3), pp.34-34.
Thistlethwaite, J. and Spencer, J., 2018. Professionalism in medicine. CRC Press.