1. Why is the Code of Ethics for Nurses Important for Nurse Advocacy?
Katheren Koehn MA, RN, FAAN
ED, MNORN

2. What Is the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements?
A code of ethics is a fundamental document for any profession.
It is a succinct statement of the ethical values, obligations, duties and professional ideas of nurses individually and collectively.
It is the profession’s nonnegotiable ethical Standards.
It is an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society.
(ANA, 2015, p. vii)

3. Inclusive Intent: All Nurses, All Roles, All Settings
CNOs
Educators, Students
Researchers, Regulators
Clinical Nurses, APRNs
Nurse Volunteers in Disasters
Nurses in Uniformed Services

4. History of Nursing’s Code of Ethics

5. Nightingale Pledge
I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.

6. Code of Ethics for Nurses Timeline
1893 “Nightingale Pledge” patterned after medicine’s Hippocratic Oath
1896 ANA formed, first purpose was to establish & maintain Code of Ethics
1926 “Suggested Code” provisionally adopted
1940 “Tentative Code” published in AJN
1950 Code for Professional Nurses unanimously adopted by the ANA House of Delegates
Once adopted, the Code has been revised in 1956, 1960, 1968, 1976, 1985, 2001, 2014

7. 2014 Revision Process
Began with online public survey of nurses - 7,800 responses from 2,780 nurses in the US.
Sept. 2013: 14-member steering committee was established; over 300 nurses on advisory committee
May - June 2014: Draft posted for public comment; suggestions evaluated
Nov. 2014: Approved by the ANA Board of Directors
Jan. 1, 2015: Published

8. Considerations during 2014 Revision
Not a lightning rod for controversial, divisive public debate
Not political
Language is timeless, avoiding“buzzwords” that will outdate
Succinct, clear and understandable to students, new nurses.

9. What Did Not Change
Definition of Patient: Individual, family, group, community, population
Basic structure of 9 provisions with interpretative statements, preface, afterword
Standard of practice
Reflects the values of nurses

10. What’s New - Terms and Topics
Research and evidence-informed practice
Nursing leadership, advocacy
Inter-professional work and collaboration
Moral distress
Incivility, bullying and violence
Nurses’ voice in social justice and health policy

11. What’s New - Terms and Topics
Social determinants of health
Ethical practice environments
End of life care
Social media
Genetics
Nursing as a global unified profession
Global collaboration to address climate destabilization, violence and other global threats to health

12. Three major themes of the Code of Ethics for Nurses
Values and Commitments of the Nurse
Boundaries of Duty & Loyalty
Duties Beyond Patient Encounters

13. Values and Commitments of the Nurse
Practice with compassion & respect for every person
Primary commitment is to the patient
Promote, advocate for, and protect the rights, health and safety of the patient

14. Boundaries of Duty & Loyalty
Authority, accountability & responsibility for nursing practice
Owes the same duties to self as to others
Establish, maintain & improve the ethical environment of the work setting

15. Duties Beyond Patient Encounters
Advance profession through research & scholarly inquiry
Collaborate to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy & reduce health disparities
Articulate nursing values, maintain integrity of profession & integrate principles of social justice into health policy

16. Provision 4
The nurse has authority, accountability, & responsibility for nursing practice; makes decisions; and takes acton consistent with the obligation to promote health and to provide optimal care.

17. Provision 6
The nurse, through individual and collective effort, establishes, maintains and improves the ethical environment of the work setting and conditions of employment that are conductive to safe, quality healthcare.

18. Provision 7
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.

19. Provision 8
The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.

20. Provision 9
The profession of nursing, collectively though its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.

21. The Code of Ethics for Nurses is our link with the nurses who came before us and the nurses who will follow us.
It is our call to action to make a difference both individually and as the profession of nursing.