Ethical Values and Principle
Then review the 8 values you were asked to select in the Module 3 assignment, Reflective Assessment which were COMMITMENT, RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING, DUTY, VIRTUE, ETHICS, DEDICATION, and JUSTICE. Align these with the 8 ethical principles found in the textbook reading for this week.
Westrick, S. J. (2014) Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics. [Bookshelf Ambassadored]. Retrieved from https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284079791/
The principles are autonomy, freedom, beneficence, nonmalfeasance, veracity, confidentiality/privacy, fidelity, and justice. Determine how well your values ”fit” within these principles.
Using the values/principles you uncovered, write a 2 page paper listing what you found. Then explain how these contribute to you being an ”ethical nurse.” Describe your qualities, behaviors, and attitudes and your commitment to ethical action.
Rubric:
Alignment of 8 personal values with ethical principles. 3 Points
Contribution and minimum of 1 each of qualities, behaviors, and attitudes to being an ”ethical nurse”. 3 Points
Commitment to ethical action. 3 Points
Less than 3 grammar/spelling errors which do not detract from the readability of the document. APA format. Used subheadings. 1 Point
Ethical Values and Principle
Ethical Values and Principles
Nursing is a dynamic field that includes people from all walks of life such as nurses and patients. These people have different values and behaviors depending on their cultures, ethnicity, religious beliefs, environments, family backgrounds among other factors that shape their understandings and perception of life. Nursing also has professional values that guide and motivate professional behavior toward the due competence required of nurses. These professional values play a major role in promoting ethical competencies of nurses in clinical settings and also addressing the ever-growing ethical concerns in the current era (Poorchangizi et al. 2017). As such, it is important to understand how personal behaviors of nurses are aligned with professional values and ethical principles of nursing to ensure nursing competence.
Nursing Values and Ethics
Many values guide nursing practice. According to Westrick (2014), some of these values include commitment, respect, understanding, duty, virtue, ethics, dedication, and justice. These values form the basis used by nurses to execute their responsibility of taking care of the patients and clients who require appropriate and safe care (Poorchangizi et al. 2017). Additionally, Shahriari et al. (2014) assert that these values are also used as resources for developing a framework for clinical ethical competence that helps nurses handle contemporary ethical concerns. As ethical values are an inseparable part of society, so is the nursing profession given that it works hand in hand with the society itself. Some of the ethical principles that have been incorporated into the nursing profession include autonomy, freedom, beneficence, non-malfeasance, veracity, fidelity, confidentiality/privacy, and justice (Westrick, 2014). These principles help nurses in conducting appropriate functions to manage situations and to provide proper and safe care rooted in ethics and regulations. Therefore, nurses need to understand how their personal values and behaviors can mingle with professional values and ethics to confer nursing competence.
Relevance of My Values to Nursing
Personal values, behaviors, and ethical understanding influence nursing practice at an individual level. As a nurse, my core values are understanding and flexibility. My values help me a lot in surviving and thriving in the dynamic nursing environment. For instance, most of my ethical values stem from my Christian teachings and beliefs. This might not always go hand in hand with nursing practices and nursing ethical principles. Being able to understand the differences in core values, goals, and missions that exist in different sectors, flexibility enables me to adjust accordingly. This enables me to behave in ways that are appropriate and acceptable in my present environment. Consequently, I will be an ethical nurse because my ability to understand and accept the nursing field requirements bars me from exerting my personal beliefs and ethics into practice which can compromise my performance (Poorchangizi et al. 2017). Additionally, understanding that my clients are diverse enables me to adjust to their understanding and beliefs and attend to them appropriately.
My Commitment to Ethical Actions
Commitment to ethical actions is paramount in nursing. I always take responsibility for my ethical actions as a nurse because I ensure that my decisions are guided by the set ethical standards. I do this by ensuring my conversance with nursing ethics and professional values. Being understanding and flexible, I not only base my decisions on my personal values and beliefs but I try to merge them with those set by the nursing profession and those of clients to come to acceptable and ethical decisions. As such, I ensure that my commitment to ethical actions is uncompromised.
Conclusion
It is important to have set ethical standards and professional values in nursing. This is because personal behaviors and values influence the actualization of the due ethical standards in nursing. Since, different nurses and patients have different values and beliefs depending on the cultures, religions, and families, having universal ethical guidelines can help in bringing uniformity into the sector. Nurses should be able to understand their personal values and ethics and align them with those of nursing to ensure performance competence.
