Summary

Values are the core convictions that underlie beliefs and behaviors. Values are at the center of both personal and professional lives. Values are learned from parents, religions, school, professional practice, education, and sociocultural environments. Professional nursing values include altruism, autonomy, integrity, social justice, and human dignity. These values are embedded in nursing practice, particularly in the nursing process itself.

Ethics are essential to nursing practice; they are built into everything nurses do and the very fabric of nursing practice. Ethics play many roles in nursing practice from the underpinning that nursing values give to the profession to the Code of Ethics for Nurses with which nurses govern themselves. Ethical concepts such as a belief in autonomy, justice, and veracity should be threaded through all decisions nurses make and the care they offer their patients. Further, the Code of Ethics for Nurses supplies guidelines and guidance for nurses to follow throughout their careers and no matter what their job duties. Theories of ethics include principle- and care-based approaches to understanding ethics. Nursing ethical theories are grounded in classical theories such as deontology (actions are morally right or wrong) and utilitarianism (actions should do the most good for the greatest number and the least amount of harm for the rest). Yet, in recent years, nursing ethics has also embraced feminist ethics as it seeks to break down barriers related to institutionalized prejudices and social justice. Unfortunately, the most ethical decision is not always clear, which may cause moral distress. Nurses have many strategies available to them to assist with ethical decision-making on their own and in groups, including the MORAL model of ethical decision-making and the Four Topics Method.

Nursing is not simply about caring for patients. It is about caring for patients ethically and legally. Nurses must understand basic legal concepts, such as their state’s NPAs and the related rules and regulations established by their SBONs. They must be aware of the legal regulations surrounding their educational institutions, certifications, and licenses. Nurses must also understand their exposure to various types of legal actions, both criminal and tort claims, and actively protect themselves from being found liable for providing inappropriate patient care or knowingly participating in harmful or fraudulent activities.

The role of nurses in advocacy for themselves, their patients, and even public health is a critical part of professional nursing practice. With over four million nurses in the United States and nurses having the most interaction with patients, nurses are uniquely placed to advocate for and impact health care on global and local levels, from Congress to a patient’s room. However, there are several barriers to nursing advocacy, including lack of time, lack of cooperation from other people and agencies, fear of negative outcomes, and other patient-related factors.