Nursing ethical principles developed in the late 19th century. The first formal nursing ethical principle was developed in the 1950s to guide the nursing profession. But firstly, Ethics is a principle that describes what is correct or incorrect in a particular situation. It can provide nurses with culturally-adapted advice to help them in ethical decision making.
“The ethics incorporated into good nursing practice are more important than knowledge of the law; practicing saves the effort of trying to know all the laws” –Hall, J. (1996).
Nursing ethical principles are essential for any healthcare provider because nurses have to face various complex situations in their practice. Therefore, nursing needs a code of ethics as fundamental guidance. It involves virtues such as physician loyalty, high moral character, and obedience. Since the nursing profession has evolved, nurses are now part of the healthcare team.
Fundamental Ethical Principles of Nursing
The following are some moral principles that are essential for nursing programs.
- Justice
Nurses must treat all the patients equally and fairly when they provide care. Therefore it means that nurses must make fair decisions with regards to the health of each person regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual, religious beliefs, and so on.
- Beneficence
Beneficence means having compassion to take the right actions for patients and must have the desire to do well. This principle may give rise to ethical issues when there is a conflict between patients and nurses and patients themselves.
- Fidelity
Fidelity means nurses should be faithful and true to their professional promises. Nurses should be reliable and true to their professional promises. They must competently ensure safe care and provide quality care to their patients, no matter whether the patient is a cop or a murderer.
- Autonomy
A nurse has to respect patients’ wishes, even when she doesn’t agree with patients. In this nursing ethical principle, nurses are accountable for their actions. Hence they must accept all the professional and personal consequences that occur from the nurses’ actions.
- Veracity
It means that medical assistants must tell the whole truth to the clients even when they lead to patient distress. According to this principle, nurses must be utterly truthful with patients. It binds the patient and nurse as they seek to establish complementary treatment goals.
- Nonmaleficence
According to the Hippocratic Oath, nonmaleficence means not harming the patients. It is also directly related to nurses’ duty to protect patients.
