Ethical Principles The ethical principles provide a foundation for nursing practice.

Ethical principles are defined as basis for nurses decisions on consideration of consequences and of universal moral principles when making clinical judgments. The most fundamental of these principles is the respect for persons. The primary and basic ethical principles are the following: Respect for autonomy Nonmaleficence Beneficience Justice

The secondary ethical principles that can be incorporated with the primary principles when interpreting ethical issues and making clinical decisions are the following: Veracity Confidentiality Fidelity

RESPECT FOR PERSONS According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the most fundamental principle of professional behavior is the respect for persons. This principle not only applies to the clinical settings but to all lifes situations. This principle emphasizes that all people should treat others as a worthy individual. In nursing practice this principle should be simplified. Thus, respect for persons generally means respecting a clients autonomy. RESPECT FOR AUTONOMY Respecting a clients rights, values and choices is synonymous to respecting a persons autonomy. Informed consent is a method that promotes and respects a persons autonomy. For a client to make an autonomous decision and action, he or she must be offered enough information and options to make up his or her mind free of coercion or external and internal influences. In clinical settings, this is promoted by proving informed consent to the client. NONMALEFICENCE Nonmaleficence means duty to do no harm. This is promoted by doing the following nursing interventions: 1. Avoiding deliberate harm, risk of harm that occurs during the performance of nursing actions. 2. Considering the degree of risk permissible. 3. Determining whether the use of technological advances provides benefits that outweigh risks. BENEFICENCE Beneficence is doing or active promotion of good. This is done by: 1. Providing health benefits to the clients. 2. Balancing the benefits and risks of harm. 3. Considering how a client can be best helped.

JUSTICE Justice is the promotion of equity or fairness in every situation a nurse encounters. The following nursing implications promote justice: 1. Ensuring fair allocation of resources. (example: appropriate staffing or mix of staff to all clients) 2. Determining the order in which clients should be treated. (example: priority treatments for the clients in pain) SECONDARY PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL CONDUCT Veracity duty to tell the truth Confidentiality duty to respect privileged information Fidelity duty to keep promises

Ethics originated from the Greeks with a word ethos. Ethos means moral duty in modern language. According to one reliable definition about ethics, it refers to a standard to examine and understand moral life. It simply focuses on how people regard what is right or wrong. Nurses have to encounter ethical issues almost every day in their line of work. Ethics has something to do with making choices that are best for the person, or community at right times and taking responsibility of the results of such choices. Code of ethics for nurses assumes various versions depending on the organization. For instance, the International Council for Nurses has embraced a code of ethics since 1953. It was in 2006 that it was revised as people and the demands of nursing has changed. This serves as a guide for right actions towards social values and needs. The Code has been the basis of worldwide practice for ethical practice in nursing. The ICN Code of Ethics serves as the guiding light for professional nurses as they practice their skills whether on a hospital setting or community setting. This serves as a gauge whether nurses have given ethical care that encourage healing or preventing illness. The ICN Code of Ethics has 4 elements: 1. Nurses and People the primary responsibility of nurses to people is to provide nursing care. 2. Nurses and Practice the nurse is personally accountable of the nursing practice and will hold the white uniform with dignity and pride 3. Nurses and the Profession The nurse is responsible in improving the face of the profession in a form of research and practicing using evidenced-based nursing practice 4. Nurses and Co-workers the nurse has a responsibility in encouraging a harmonious relationship among colleagues and members of the health care team. As mentioned above, taking the ICN code of ethics for nurses as a reference, the Code of Ethics for Filipino Nurses came into its existence. The new Code of Ethics for Nurses for Filipino Nurses was promulgated by the Board of Nursing under Resolution No. 220 Series of 2004 last July 14, 2004. This is after a consultation meeting done in October 23, 2004 in Iloilo City with the accredited organizations of registered nurses. The Code of Ethics for Filipino Nurses were similar to the ICN, however it further stated administrative penalties, repealing clause and effectivity. It pursues revocation of licenses when registered nurses in the Philippines have violated any provisions of the Code.