Ethics in Nursing: A Personal and Professional Exploration

Ethics, as a branch of philosophy, plays a crucial role in guiding human conduct by evaluating the rightness and wrongness of actions and motives. In the healthcare environment, nursing, being an integral part, adheres to a set of ethical principles outlined in the Code of Ethics for Nurses by the American Nurses' Association (ANA). This code aims to establish definitive standards of practice essential for the ethical discharge of nurses' responsibilities (ANA, 2012).

Development of Personal Ethics

Nurses navigate the complex terrain of ethical decision-making by cultivating personal ethics influenced by their personal, cultural, and spiritual values.

These values serve as a moral compass, assisting nurses in making informed decisions during ethical dilemmas, aligning their personal beliefs with the professional code of ethics.

Values Contributing to Individual Worldview

As a nursing student born into a Christian middle-class Western Indian family, I understand how strict traditional values have shaped the concept of service, trust, respect, integrity, and responsibility. The New International Version of the Bible's remark, "Do to others as you would have them do to you," has ignited the principles of service, integrity, and respect from an early age, influencing both personal and professional life.

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The cultural inclination to care for fellow humans and make a difference prompted the choice of Nursing as a profession. Exposure to diverse cultures, languages, and religions broadened my worldview, impacting nursing decisions to provide culturally sensitive care. The fusion of traditional spiritual and cultural values with diverse worldviews becomes the guiding moral compass, enabling me to make ethically sound decisions for patients and in my personal life.

Values, Morals, and Ethics in Nursing Practice

Values, morals, and ethics are intertwined behavioral rules that shape an individual's fundamental beliefs. Values, developed through childhood experiences within family and society, form the foundation for morals, contributing to a comprehensive system of beliefs. Ethics, then, is the ability to make decisions based on adopted morals (Navran F. J., 2010). In nursing, conflicts often arise when individual values, morals, and ethics influence professional conduct, leading to situations such as the ethical dilemma surrounding abortion.

Consider the scenario where a nurse's spiritual doctrine opposes abortion, conflicting with their moral stance when faced with a deformed fetus. This creates an ethical dilemma, emphasizing the necessity for effective communication between nurses, physicians, and patients in different cultures. Over time, experiences reform moral values, allowing nurses to provide better ethical care and reconcile conflicting values through adherence to the Code of Ethics (ANA, 2012).

Morals and Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare

As a nursing student, I recognize that the multifaceted role of nurses in healthcare, encompassing caring, communicating, teaching, advocating, and leadership, inevitably leads to moral and ethical dilemmas. These challenges arise when conflicts emerge among intentions, decisions, and actions, navigating the delicate balance between right and wrong.

Religious and spiritual backgrounds contribute to some of these ethical dilemmas. For instance, certain religions oppose induced human death, presenting challenges for nurses in supporting patients and families facing decisions like abortion. Despite the individual's right to make decisions about their bodies, religious values may restrain nurses from participating in certain procedures, highlighting the complexity of balancing personal and professional ethics.

Another ethical dilemma arises when nurses encounter patients diagnosed with AIDS or other sexually acquired diseases. The potential judgmental attitude towards such patients interferes with the provision of unbiased care, reflecting the impact of personal values on professional conduct. These circumstances necessitate nurses to turn to ethical guidelines, as outlined in the Code of Ethics for Nurses, to maintain patient rights, well-being, and professional integrity (ANA, 2010).

Conclusion: Navigating Ethical Decision-Making in Nursing

As a crucial element in the healthcare field, nurses play a pivotal role in decisions that impact the welfare and safety of humanity. The decision-making capabilities of nurses are molded by personal, cultural, and spiritual values, often leading to ethical dilemmas. In situations where conflicting moral values arise, nurses are expected to uphold professionalism and ethics, seeking guidance from the Code of Ethics to deliver quality care.

While a nurse's worldview is undoubtedly influenced by cultural, religious, and moral values, adherence to the code is imperative to maintain the respectability and integrity of the nursing profession. Through this exploration, it becomes evident that the ethical principles and values in nursing are dynamic, requiring continuous reflection, adaptation, and a commitment to providing ethical and compassionate care to patients.