Ethics For Nurses Research Articles

The relationship between workload and adherence to professional codes of ethics among a sample of Iranian nurses

Background Many studies have investigated the adherence to professional codes of ethics by nurses. However, no study has explicitly examined the relationship between workload and adherence to professional codes of ethics among Iranian nurses. Objective This study aimed to explore the relationships between workload and adherence to professional codes of ethics among a sample of Iranian nurses. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 213 nurses who were randomly selected from the different wards of Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Kashan, Iran. Data collection instruments included a personal characteristics questionnaire, the Nursing Ethics Questionnaire, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index. The Chi-square, the Spearman correlation coefficient, the Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to analyze the data. Results A majority of nurses were females (77.5%), married (79.3%), and permanently employed (55.4%). The mean of the overall perceived workload and adherence to professional codes of ethics were 76.36 ± 13.64 and 13.98 ± 2.58, that were at high and moderated level, respectively. Spearman correlation test showed no significant correlation between perceived workload and adherence to professional codes of ethics ( r = 0.03, P = 0.6). A significant difference was found between the mean scores of adherence to professional codes of ethics in nurses working in different departments ( P < 0.001). Conclusion Participating nurses perceived high levels of workload but their mean adherence to professional codes of ethics was at a moderate level. The perceived workload was indirectly correlated with adherence to professional codes of ethics.

Nursing ethics in an era of pandemic

BackgroundThe ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses, regularly revised since 1896, may not provide guidance in an era of pandemic and sociopolitical unrest. PurposeThis study explored whether the Code of Ethics comprehensively address current nursing challenges. Methods23 nurses participated in six Zoom focus groups to discuss whether provisions were applicable to their current practice. An iterative approach was used to review transcripts independently and then merge findings to identify ethical themes. FindingsProvisions 4, 6, and 8 were most relevant. None of the provisions addressed the guilt secondary to isolating patients from support systems and not being “on the front lines” of COVID care. DiscussionThe co-occurring crises of COVID-19 and social unrest created an ethical crisis for many nurses. The Code of Ethics provided a useful guide for framing discussion and formulating strategies for change, but did not eliminate distress during a time of novel challenges.

Authentic Leadership to Support Nurses: Educate, Empower, Elevate, and Enjoy.

Authentic Leadership to Support Nurses: Educate, Empower, Elevate, and Enjoy.

Between a rock and a hard place: Ethics, nurses' safety, and the right to protest during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AimIn this paper, we critically discuss the ethics of nurses' choice to strike during the COVID‐19 pandemic, considering legal and ethical arguments, overlaying the Ubuntu philosophy, an African ethic.BackgroundThe recent unprecedented coronavirus disease pandemic and the increased reports on the absence of personal protective equipment in South Africa places many health workers' lives at risk. Nurses spend most of their time with patients, which exposes them to fatal risks as they work in unsafe environments.Research MethodsExploratory literature review was conducted using Pubmed, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Science Direct) and law cases repository.FindingsNurses thus may be justified in striking to protect their safety. State healthcare entities are obliged to ensure safety and protect the health of professionals during the pandemic. According to their Code of Practice and Pledge of Service, they are ethically obliged to put patients first, and as a result, they are legally barred from engaging in strike action.ConclusionWe conclude that there may be constitutional human rights arguments to support strike action. We also find that ethical principles alone do not provide clear direction to guide nurses in making justified and ethical decisions regarding service provision in an environment threatening to compromise their safety.

Moral intelligence in nursing: An evolutionary concept analysis

Background & Aim: Moral intelligence is a foundation and cornerstone of ethics in nursing. However, it is a vague concept which needs to develop. So, this study aimed to analyze the concept of moral intelligence in nursing to help its development and apply it in the context. Methods & Materials: Rodgers's evolutionary concept analysis method was used. Databases of Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, and IranMedex were searched from 2001 to 2020 with moral, ethics, intelligence, and nursing keywords. After considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria and removing irrelevant and duplicate articles, 46 texts were reviewed. The method of analysis was inductive content analysis. Results: The attributes of moral intelligence were identified as considering "individual-social value", "the integrity of feeling, thinking, and action", and "semantic purposefulness". The antecedents included "prepared person", "purposeful selection and upbringing", and "supportive context", and the consequences were "personal and professional development of the nurse", "facilitating holistic care", and "organizational promotion". Based on the attributes of the concept, moral intelligence was defined as: "The cognitive and value-oriented capability of a nurse in managing the problem and conflict resolution process through self-sacrifice and conscious involvement into intra-and-interpersonal relationships to achieve desirable moral and spiritual goals during comprehensive care of the client." Conclusion: In ethical challenges, moral intelligence may function as a cognitive ability by considering individual-social values. It uses a purposeful problem-solving process that is purposeful, seeks meaning, and guides nurses to improve the quality of health services.

Nurse bias and nursing care disparities related to patient characteristics: A scoping review of the quantitative and qualitative evidence.

Investigations of healthcare workers' implicit attitudes about patient characteristics and differences in delivery of healthcare due to bias are increasingly common. However, there is a gap in our understanding of nurse-specific bias and care disparities. To identify (a) the types of available evidence, (b) key factors and relationships identified in the evidence and (c) knowledge gaps related to nurse bias (nurse attitudes or beliefs towards a patient characteristic) and nursing care disparities (healthcare disparities related specifically to nursing care). Authors completed a scoping review using the Joanne Briggs Institute method and PRISMA-SCR checklist. Five databases were searched. After screening, 215 research reports were included and examined. Data were extracted from research reports and assessed for thematic patterns and trends across multiple characteristics. Nurse bias and/or care disparity investigations have become increasingly common over the 38-year span of included reports. Multiple patient characteristics have been investigated, with the most common being race and/or ethnicity, gender and age. Twenty-nine of 215 studies identified a potential relationship between nurse bias regarding a characteristic and nursing care of individuals with that characteristic. Of these studies, 27 suggested the bias was associated with a negative disparate impact on nursing care. Only 12 reports included evaluating an intervention designed to reduce nurse bias or nursing care-related healthcare disparities. Despite increasing research focus on individual bias and disparities in healthcare, the accumulated knowledge regarding nurses has not significantly advanced past a descriptive, exploratory level. Nor has there been a consistent focus on the role of nurses, who represent the largest component of the professional healthcare workforce. National and international codes of ethics for nurses require provision of care according to individual, unique patient need, disregarding bias and incorporating patient characteristics into their plan of care.

The importance of moral sensitivity in nursing education: A comparative study

This study aims to determine the importance of the "Ethics and Deontology in Nursing" course in nursing education for the purpose of revealing the level of moral sensitivity of nursing students. In our research, which is a descriptive study, data were collected from 461 nursing students who studied at the Faculty of Health Sciences. In the study, the Personal Information Form and Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ) were used as data collection forms. The findings from the study were evaluated with SPSS 22.00 package software, and the level of significance in all analyses was accepted as p < 0.05. The average age of the students participating in the study was 20.83 ± 1.55. Also, 51.8% of the students took the course "Ethics and Deontology in Nursing." The total mean score of the MSQ of students was determined as 83.32 ± 16.79. A statistically significant difference was found between the students' total scores of autonomy, benefit, holistic approach, conflict, practice, orientation, and moral sensitivity, depending on whether they took the course "Ethics and Deontology in Nursing." It was concluded that moral sensitivity in nursing students was positively influenced by the ethical education they received.

Deepening Analysis on Preventing Fall Risk with Knowledge and Practices of Nurses and Nursing

The purpose of this study is to give recommendations for knowledge and practices and ethics of nurses and nursing in hospitals - case in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam in order to prevent fall for patients. We use cross-sectional descriptive method and qualitative analysis to give our suggestions. Research results show us that the proportion of nurses who self-assessed practice for general fall prevention for patients was 48.8%. Achievement level according to each content, including: fall risk assessment, fall prevention practice and fall management practice respectively 41.8%; 60.6% and 48.8%. There is a relationship between nursing knowledge about falls prevention and falling prevention practice for patients (OR = 3.97; 95% CI: 2.1-7.6). The research results show that nurses with many years of experience have better knowledge of falls prevention for patients. There is a relationship between knowledge and practice of falling prevention in the patient. The research findings also indicate the need to strengthen nursing knowledge about fall prevention in patients.

The effect of job stress management training on observance of professional ethics by nurses

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of job stress management training on observance of professional ethics by nurses. This quasi-experimental study was performed on 50 clinical nurses in Shiraz, Iran. Data collection tools included a questionnaire. The research intervention consisted of six two-hour sessions of stress management training. SPSS 21 were used to analyze the data. Data analysis showed that before intervention, the level of professional ethics of 64% of nurses was relatively good, but after intervention, the level of professional ethics of the majority of nurses (94%) was at the desired level. The results showed that the levels of professional ethics after job stress management training has increased significantly compared to before. The results showed that stress management training has led to improving the level of professional ethics of nurses.

Understanding Racism as a Historical Trauma That Remains Today: Implications for the Nursing Profession.

In order to promote health equity and support the human rights mandate contained in the American Nurses Association's Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, the nursing profession must understand historically the creation of race, white supremacy in the United States, and entrenched racial terror and brutality toward black and brown racialized populations. Considering the limited racial diversity in the nursing profession despite its stated mission to increase diversity, the profession must build a path to understanding antiblack racism as a historical trauma that remains to this day, a path that encompasses antiracist ideology. Antiracism education is critically needed at the pre-professional and professional levels, for nursing students, providers, educators, administrators, and researchers to inform our own understanding of bias within the contexts of our educational and health-care systems. Dismantling racism requires an enduring commitment to the ultimate goal of social justice for ourselves, our patients, and our communities. This article presents antiracism actions that nurses should employ to dismantle racism, focusing primarily on personal-level initiatives, with self-work as the starting point.

Envisioning an Ethical Climate in Nursing Education Programs

The importance of creating healthy and ethical work environments in the clinical setting has been a focus in nursing for several years. However, research has found that incidents of incivility and bullying occur in academia as well. Nurse educators often face complex situations in the academic workplace that have ethical implications, including relationships with each other, academic administrators, and students. A review of the evidence indicates that studies have considered the importance of creating an ethical environment in nursing practice, and incivility, but few have focused on healthy work environments in academia. This article presents the nine provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses in the context of the nursing academic environment as a framework to discuss the philosophical and practical importance of envisioning an ethical environment within academic settings. Examples of relationships are provided that demonstrate a positive ethical climate or illustrate areas in need of reflection for improvement, with suggested implications for practice.

Etik Eğitiminin Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Etik Duyarlılıklarına Etkisi

Ethics education provided to nursing students is important in terms of the development of nurses' ethical awareness and sensitivity in professional life. This study was carried out to determine the effect of the case analysis method on nursing students' ethical sensitivity when used in ethics education. This study was planned using a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design, and was conducted between September and December 2019. The study population comprises 138 third-year nursing students. All participants were enrolled in the nursing history deontology and ethics of care course in the nursing department of the healthcare sciences faculty of a rooted university in the Black Sea region of Turkey during the fall semester of the 2019-2020 academic year. The study sample comprises 131 nursing students. The study data were collected using the personal information form, the Modified Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire for Student Nurses (MMSQSN), and the Nursing Effectiveness of Ethics Education Scale (NEEES). Data were analyzed with the SPSS 18.0 software program using frequency, mean, standard deviation, and paired samples ttest. It was found that 46.6% of participating students encountered ethical issues in clinical practices, and that of these students, 27.5% encountered ethical issues regarding drug administration, care practices, and patient information. The mean MMSQSN score of the students before the education was 4.48±0.50, but was found to be 5.05±0.68 after the education; this was found to be a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). The mean NEEES score was 56.37±11.09. It was found that students encounter various ethical issues during clinical practice, that their ethical sensitivity was of a moderate level before the ethics education, that their ethical sensitivity increased after the education, and that students evaluated the ethics education as effective.

The development of nursing professional identity in morocco: state of the art and avenues for research and education

Nursing is a major pillar for the achievement of national and global health goals, with a plethora of research documenting the effect of the state of nursing professional identity on different outcomes such as the quality of care, worker retention, and work satisfaction. This present paper examines the current state of professional nursing identity in the Moroccan context and introduces critical priorities for its progress. Using a logical inductive analysis, this article concludes that significant developments have occurred in Moroccan nursing in recent years, mainly the shift to universitybased education and initial formal recognition of nursing as a profession. Nonetheless, Professional identity remains mostly unexplored in Morocco, and research is increasingly required to evaluate its various attributes and inform decision-making in nursing education and practice. Recommendations related to the findings include prioritization of research on the knowledge base of nursing and its application in the Moroccan healthcare context, the establishment of innovative measures in education conducive to positive socialization into the profession, amendment of nursing social image, and the establishment of professional nursing ethics within the Moroccan healthcare system.

Identifying the components of spirituality affecting the resilience of nurses.

To identify the components of spirituality that affect the resilience of nurses in the coronavirus service. The nursing profession experiences a great deal of stress at work because of high concentration in the work. This leads to serious physical and psychological consequences that make their resilience challenging. The current study is descriptive qualitatively by type and inductive by approach. The study's statistical population consisted of nurses from the Iranian coronavirus service, and a sample of 11 nurses were selected using a teleological sampling method. An interview tool was used to collect qualitative data, and the thematic analysis technique was used to analyse interview data. The main research issue was studied using the thematic analysis technique, and seven main themes were identified as the components of effective spirituality affecting the resilience of nurses in the coronavirus ward in Iran. The results of data analysis showed that seven components affecting the resilience of nurses in the Corona ward are religious values, morality, self-awareness, patience and hope, wisdom, voluntary activities and the otherworld belief. The Nursing Ethics Code, which intended to supplement the guidelines on health ethics for all nurses in education, research, management, health and clinical services, focuses directly on the nurses' performance in patient care.

COVID-19: What should employers do if employed health professionals such as doctors and nurses refuse to treat COVID-19 patients despite being provided with the required personal protective equipment?

At some health establishments doctors and nurses employed there are refusing to treat Covid-19 patients - even though they have been provided with the necessary personal protection equipment (PPE). Such conduct would appear to be in breach of the World Medical Association International Code of Medical Ethics , the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics for Nurses , the Rules of Conduct of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, the South African Nursing Council, some of the provisions of the South African Constitution and of the relevant labour legislation. Guidance is provided to employers on how to deal with the situation based on ethical and legal considerations.

Key competencies for Korean nurses in prenatal genetic nursing: experiential genetic nursing knowledge, and ethics and law

PurposeThis study aims at determining the competencies of Korean nurses in prenatal genetic nursing.MethodsFirst, a 3-round Delphi survey was conducted to establish prenatal genetic nursing competencies. Second, a prenatal genetic nursing education program (PGNEP), incorporating the findings from the Delphi survey, was designed. Third, a single group pre- and post-quasi-experimental study at a PGNEP workshop was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the integration of the competencies into the PGNEP with the measurements of knowledge about prenatal genetic testing and nursing (K-PGTN) and information needs about prenatal genetic testing and nursing (I-PGTN). Finally, the identified competencies were reexamined for their clarity.ResultsBased on the Delphi survey 78 competency components were identified. The components were then classified under 10 categories, which were organized under 4 domains. The domain of “experiential genetic nursing knowledge” and the domain of “ethics and law” were ranked as the first and the second in significance. The quasi-experimental study showed that the mean scores in K-PGTN were significantly increased from 8.19±2.67 to 11.25±2.51 (P<0.001). The mean scores of “ethics and law” in I-PGTN decreased significantly (P=0.023). The headings of 4 categories and 2 domains were revised.ConclusionThis study identified competencies for prenatal genetic nursing and nursing education in Korea. There is a need for nursing instructors and researchers to improve the competencies of nurses in the identified areas. Particular emphasis should be placed on experiential nursing knowledge and on ethics and law related to prenatal genetic nursing.

Bioethics education and the development of nursing students' moral competence

BackgroundThe nurse accompanies individuals throughout their lives and, when in the hospital environment, provides care to those who face illness or injury. Nurses witness numerous situations involving ethical dilemmas that require a prompt and effective response based on ethical and moral principles. ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine whether bioethics education in nursing influences the level of moral competence and opinion of nursing students about three ethical dilemmas. MethodsA longitudinal study was conducted through the application of the MCTxt (Moral Competence Test extended) questionnaire, composed of three ethical dilemmas (worker, doctor and judge), on two separate occasions (before and after students completed the Bioethics and Nursing Ethics curricular unit, which covered a total of 32 h). Participants122 s-year students from a Portuguese nursing school. ResultsNursing students showed a moral competence stagnation (1.2-point difference between the two assessments), although this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.268). Regarding performance for each of the dilemmas, students showed an increase in performance for the worker's and judge's dilemmas and a sharp decrease in performance for the doctor's dilemma. ConclusionsThe support of students by morally competent teachers and monitors, the development of methods that provide the development of critical judgement and decision-making ability, and the increase of hours for the Bioethics course unit seem crucial factors to develop nursing students' moral competence.

The care ethics of child health nurses in Danish asylum centers: An ethnographic study

Abstract Background Asylum-seeking children have often been on a harrowing journey with potentially grave consequences for their health and well-being. As little is known about how child health nurses enter into engaging and caring partnerships with asylum-seeking families to meet their children's healthcare needs - despite challenges pertaining to culture and language - our objective is to examine how child health nurses navigate, negotiate and respond to the range of challenges, needs and circumstances that affect their nursing care practices. Methods We report on ethnographic fieldwork from four Danish Red Cross asylum centers, where child health nurses have their first encounters with asylum-seeking families. The fieldwork included participant observations of child health consultations and interviews with 6 child health nurses and 11 asylum-seeking families. We coded and analyzed the empirical material thematically to identify emerging and crosscutting themes. Results The care performed by the child health nurses was characterized by five ethical care practices. One, their care was driven by compassion, exhibiting intrinsic beliefs, values and personal motivations to care for asylum-seeking children. Two, they provided responsible care, building on their humanitarian and professional roles as child health nurses within Red Cross. Three, they showed flexibility, drawing on past experience and recognition of the families' complex needs. Four, they were collaborative, working in partnership with parents. Five, the child health nurses' care was empowering asylum-seeking families by encouraging parents to be autonomous and acknowledging their own efforts in caring for their children. Conclusions The confluence of the five ethical care practices enables child health nurses to promote and safeguard the health and well-being of asylum-seeking children. We argue that these practices are constituent parts of person-centered care for asylum-seeking and refugee children. Key messages We identified five ethical care practices, which enable child health nurses’ care of asylum-seeking children and their families. Our study provides an empirical understanding of how person-centered care is critical to asylum-seeking families.

Self-care as an ethical obligation for nurses.

As members of the largest and most trusted healthcare profession, nurses are role models and critical partners in the ongoing quest for the health of their patients. Findings from the American Nurses Association Health Risk Appraisal suggested that nurses give the best patient care when they are operating at the peak of their own wellness. They also revealed that 68% of the surveyed nurses place their patients' health, safety, and wellness before their own. Globally, several nursing codes of ethics include the requirement of self-care. Often, these codes embed the responsibility to protect and promote one's own health within the clearly described obligation to provide safe patient care. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses is unique in that it states explicitly that nurses must adopt self-care as a duty to self in addition to their duty to provide care to patients. One of the basic assumptions of Watson's Philosophy and Science of Caring is that caring science is the essence of nursing and the foundational disciplinary core of the profession. Watson's theory of human caring provides support for the engagement in self-care. Two important value assumptions of Watson's Caritas are that "we have to learn how to offer caring, love, forgiveness, compassion, and mercy to ourselves before we can offer authentic caring and love to others" and we also must "treat ourselves with loving-kindness and equanimity, gentleness, and dignity before we can accept, respect, and care for others within a professional caring-healing model." Embedded within several caritas processes is an outline for a holistic approach to caring for self and others that can guide nurses to improve their mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

America Needs Nurse Practitioners to Advocate for Social Justice

The era of COVID-19 has highlighted disparities within the health care system. The pandemic, in combination with the death of George Floyd, has resulted in professional organizations condemning racism as a public health issue. But what is the role of individual nurse practitioners in addressing systemic racism within the healthcare system? The Code of Ethics for Nurses requires that all nurses actively work to reduce disparities. The code states that universal access to nursing is a human right and that health must be considered in the frame of social determinants. America needs nurse practitioners to reimagine the healthcare system and to develop policy and legislation that results in change. Nurse practitioners are among the most trusted professionals in America, and we can help the country heal from centuries-old injustices.