In today’s healthcare world, nurses play a vital role in keeping patients healthy. The lifeline between patient and doctor, nurses, have tremendous responsibilities placed upon them each day. But like many other professions, nurses also have a code of ethics they must abide by when dealing with patients and others. Because of this, ethics come into play every day for nurses. To learn how, here are some essential facts to consider.

Respect for Everyone

Since a nurse’s code of ethics focuses mainly on professional behavior, it’s vital they have respect for everyone they encounter on the job. The code of ethics includes not only fellow members of their healthcare team, but also patients, their family members, and anyone else they encounter daily. By respecting the dignity and value of patients and others, nurses can treat everyone equally no matter the circumstances.

Commitment to Their Patients

If there is one area where ethical questions may arise for nurses, it’s protecting the rights and safety of their patients. In some instances, nurses may feel as if other healthcare professionals are compromising patient privacy, confidentiality, or care. When this happens, attorneys can help elaborate on the specific details of the situation in question, assisting nurses to gain a better understanding of how the situation can best be resolved.

Self-Integrity and Honesty

First and foremost, nurses have a responsibility to others as well as themselves to be open and honest, as well as to maintain self-integrity regarding moral standards. Again, if they feel as if professional competence on the part of others is compromising patient care, attorneys can help elaborate on the potential ethical and legal consequences related to patient care, and any possible legalities related to the nursing staff.

Professional Responsibilities

No matter what area of patient care nurses specializes in, they are bound by specific professional responsibilities to maximize how health care to their patients is delivered. In most cases, this involves working with medical professionals as well as community organizations to provide a better understanding of what’s needed to ensure patients of all ages and income levels can have high standards of health care.

While all nurses will at some point face ethical dilemmas in their job, it is by no means a situation that cannot be handled. Whether it’s a situation that attorneys can help elaborate on or one a nurse can answer on their own, maintaining the highest of ethical standards is crucial to success in this career.