Monday, September 23, 2013

Do Nurses Follow a Code of Ethics?

Nursing is one of the most respected professions that there is. With the increasing in the demand for nursing, more people are getting into this line of work. It requires extensive training in order to have the best nurses whom people can really trust. It may be common knowledge that nurses are in charge of taking care of their patients and ensuring their health. But is this all that there is to nursing? Becoming a nurse is not just about earning a degree, passing the board exams and obtaining a license. What comes after all of these is important, when nurses start to work.

A part of the nursing profession is being in charge of the patients' health concerns, taking responsibility for their care. But do you know that there is such a thing as nursing ethics? A code of conduct is required for nurses which each and every one of them must follow. Nurses are one of the most trusted people by the patients just like their doctors. They should know everything about the patients in order to be able to have the proper treatment for their conditions. Everything that nurses do is for the betterment of patients, whether they are direct patients or other's patients.

The number one rule when it comes to this profession is respect. Nurses must respect your patients and treat them with dignity. In the hospital, everyone is sick. Nurses cannot choose their patients, so they must treat each one equally. No matter how contagious or unpleasing their disease may be, nurses must be able to treat everyone in the same way. This goes for status, no one is higher than everyone else. Economic status, social status, religion, race, and gender do not affect how a nurse treats a patient. It is their job to treat everyone and anyone as long as they need care.

A nurse is responsible when it comes to the heath of the patient. With this comes the privacy of the patients. Any confidential information about their health condition should be kept privately. This is a right of the patients that nurses must respect. Disclosure of any information about the patient's health condition should be done under such exceptions. Information should only be disclosed to people close to the patient and are involved in the patient's care directly. The patients must be informed with such disclosure it is their right to agree to this. Everything must be explained to them especially when not disclosing information will only cause harm to the patient. If there are procedures such as lawsuits, rehabilitation or even peer reviews should be considered in disclosing any private information. Laws and legal procedures must be maintained when disclosing information to other people or else the nurse will be held responsible for misconduct.

The nurse prioritizes the health of their patients. Nurses should be knowledgeable when it comes to the different health issues of their patients. They are responsible for judgement of treatments as long as they are based on right information. Any wrong decisions can cause great harm to the patients. There will be times when conflicts arise when family members and the patients cannot agree on the care and treatment that must be given. This is when they would rather seek the judgement of those who are knowledgeable in this field. This is where nurses can make informed judgements and provide them to both parties. Of course, these are not based on mere opinions. They need to do constant research as well as consultations with other medical professionals in order to know what the best thing to do in such situations.

Since nurses are entrusted to make such decisions, they are held responsible for any actions. In line with making informed judgement that the nurses give to their patients, this must really remember this. These actions can really affect the care given to them and the recovery process of the patients. Nurses are responsible for the improvement of the patients' conditions and not to harm them. They are entrusted with the task of being responsible for the betterment of their patients. Especially when unsure, nurses must consult doctors, other nurses and medical professionals in that field.

Nurses should always maintain a professional relationship with their patients. It would be better if nurses and patients have a good relationship which will make treatments and easier task for them. A close relationship must be maintained for better communication and making the patients feel good about their selves. Nurses should always make sure that patients feel that they can find a friend with their nurse. Often times, illnesses can cause a negative attitude when it comes to recovery. It will be easier to make them cooperate with treatments even if they do not like them. A professional relationship must still be kept to have authority. Patients should know that they must follow your instructions.

As part of the medical team, nurses are expected to further improve in their craft. They should constantly do research and continue their learning process. With the improvements in this field, they need to keep up with these advances to ensure an effective treatment for their patients. Nurses are vital in the field of medicine and they should be able to constantly feed the public with useful information that will improve their health.

Nurses are people whom everyone can trust, from patients, colleagues and family members. Whether they may be a registered nurse, a licensed practicing nurse, midwives , travelling nurse, or any other kind of nurse, they are expected to follow this code of ethics. They are not only entrusted to take care of their patients, but to also act properly. This adds up to the standard of nurses worldwide. They will not be entrusted with such a big deal of work if they have no strict provisions to follow as a nurse. With the job that they are entrusted with, everyone can be sure that nurses can do a great job in taking care of their patients.








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