Ethical and Legal Aspects of Nursing Lec:1 Dr.

Mohmmed Q, Baktash

Terms used in ethics and laws

A. Values
• Values are preferences (or ideals) that give direction to human life by
influencing beliefs and behaviors.
• Values usually are associated with individuals rather than groups and can
include religious believes, sexual orientation, family relationship, prejudices
and roles.
• Culture, family, personality, and life experiences contribute to the formation of
values.
• Values make us who we are and are important in nursing because they have the
potential to create barriers or facilitate communication and relationships
between nurses and clients.
• Values conflicts can arise when events force one to act against one's beliefs
(for instance, a nurse who is religiously opposed to abortion may be assigned
to care for a patient who has had an abortion).
B. Morals
• Morals are the stander of rights and wrong that one learns through socialization
• Moral usually are based on religious beliefs
• Moral usually are associated with individuals or small groups
• Moral are manifested as behavior in accord with a group's customs or tradition
C. Ethics
• Ethics are system of valued behaviors and beliefs that govern proper conduct
to ensure the protection of an individual's rights.
• Ethics involve judgments that help to differentiate right from wrong or indicate
how things ought to be.
• Ethics are associated with individuals, small groups or society
D. Ethical code:
• Ethical code is a written list of profession's value and standers of conduct
• Ethical code provides a framework for decision making
• Ethical code undergoes periodic revision to reflect changes in society and the
profession.

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 Ethical and Legal Aspects of Nursing Lec:1 Dr. Mohmmed Q, Baktash

• Ethical code usually exceeds – but never fall short of – the boundaries
established by law.
• Each professional is responsible for upholding the values and standers
established in the ethical code.
• Ethical code usually is unenforceable
E. Statement of etiquette
• Statement of etiquette describe expected professional behaviors established in
ethical code.
• Statement of etiquette focus on protecting a professional right rather than
individual rights for example: one such statement in the medical code of ethics
focuses on doctor's right to refuse to treat patients.
F. Laws:
• Laws are rules of social conduct designed to prevent the actions of one party
from infringing on the rights of another party.
• Laws are necessary within social groups
• Laws are enforceable.
G. Human Rights:
• Human Rights are the set of entitlements that one deserves according to just
claim, legal guarantees or moral principles.
• Rights can originate from natural law such as the right of live or from legal
assignment by the government such as those right of privacy and liberty that
are guaranteed by the constitution.
• Based on the strict definition of rights, health care is probably a privilege
rather than a right.
• Health care professionals however may view health care as an individual's
rights rather than a privilege because they typically feel an obligation to
provide care.
Professional accountability in nursing
General information
• Accountability means answerability or responsibility
• Nurses as professionals are responsible for their actions

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Ethical and Legal Aspects of Nursing Lec:1 Dr. Mohmmed Q, Baktash

• Accountability in nursing comprises personal accountability (to oneself and

to the patient) and public accountability (to the employer and to society).
• The primary goals of professional accountability in nursing are to maintain
high standers of care and to protect the patient from harm
• Licensure create a legal basis for professional accountability in nursing.
Personal accountability
• Nurses are accountable to themselves for proper use of their knowledge and
skill in providing care
• Nurses are accountable to the patient because the patient is dependent on
nurses for care
• Nurses must be aware of and responsible for each action taken or decision
made, be able to define it, and be willing to accept the consequences.
• Personal accountability increases with the degree of autonomy of actions.
Public accountability:
• Nurses are accountable to the employer because the institution pays their
salary and allows them to practice as professionals
• Nurses are accountable to society because of its power to determine ethical
rules and impose penalties violating those rules and because each patient is a
member of society.
• The public's trust in a profession increase proportionality to the degree in
which the profession's member guard and protect the public's interests
• Conflict can arise when the nurse’s obligations to the employer contradict
her obligations to society's health needs
Implications for nurses
1. To develop and evaluate new professional practices and to reevaluate existing
one.
2. To maintain professional goals and standers
3. To provide time for self-reflection, ethical thought and personal growth
4. To increase the profession reliability
5. To establish boundaries for professional accountability by using ethical code.