Provision Chosen: The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.

QUESTION

• Pick one (1) of the ANA’s Code of Ethics provisions (as listed below) and provide an example of the chosen provision.
• Then provide an example of how these practices reflects the chosen ANA provision.

ANA’s 2015 Code of Ethics for Nurses: Nine Provisions

• The nurse practices with compassion and respect for inherent dignity, worth and unique attributes of every person.
• The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family group, community or population.
• The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.
• The nurse has authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing practice: makes decisions; and takes action consistent with the obligation to promote health and to provide optimal care.
• The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.
• The nurse, through individual and collective effort, establishes, maintains, and improves the ethical environment of the work settings and conditions of employment that are conducive to safe, quality health care.
• The nurse, in all roles and settings, advances the profession through research and scholarly inquiry, professional standards development, and the generation of both nursing and health policy.
• The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.
• The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.

ANSWER

Provision Chosen: The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.

Example of the Chosen Provision

Imagine a scenario where a nurse is caring for an elderly patient who has been admitted to the hospital with multiple health issues, including dementia. The patient’s family, who resides in another city, is unable to visit frequently due to their work commitments. The patient is often agitated and disoriented, making it challenging for the nursing staff to provide adequate care.

How the Practice Reflects the Chosen ANA Provision

In this situation, the nurse exemplifies the ANA’s provision by advocating for the patient’s rights, health, and safety. The nurse recognizes the patient’s vulnerability due to age, health condition, and dementia, and understands the importance of ensuring the patient’s well-being. To promote the patient’s rights, the nurse communicates with the family, seeking their input on the patient’s preferences and previous routines, which can help improve the patient’s comfort and sense of familiarity.

The nurse also takes proactive measures to protect the patient’s health and safety. Recognizing the patient’s agitation and disorientation, the nurse collaborates with the healthcare team to create a personalized care plan that includes strategies to minimize distress and confusion. This may involve providing the patient with a calm and structured environment, using familiar objects or pictures, and ensuring that the patient’s physical needs are met promptly.

Moreover, the nurse advocates for the patient’s needs during care coordination meetings, ensuring that the patient’s unique attributes and preferences are considered when making decisions about their treatment and daily care. The nurse recognizes the importance of maintaining the patient’s dignity throughout their hospital stay, seeking opportunities to foster a respectful and compassionate environment.

By promoting, advocating for, and protecting the rights, health, and safety of the patient, the nurse upholds the highest ethical standards outlined in the ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses. This commitment to patient-centered care exemplifies the nurse’s dedication to fulfilling their primary commitment to the patient and reinforces the nurse’s responsibility to prioritize the well-being and dignity of every person under their care. Through such actions, nurses play a vital role in ensuring the delivery of safe, quality healthcare and upholding the values of the nursing profession.