Code of Ethics for Nurses

Ethics is an integral part of the foundation of nursing. Nursing has a distinguished history of concern for the welfare of the sick, injured, and vulnerable and for social justice. This concern is embodied in the provision of nursing care to individuals and the community. Nursing encompasses the prevention of illness, the alleviation of suffering, and the protection, promotion, and restoration of health in the care of individuals, families, groups, and communities. Individuals who become nurses are expected not only to adhere to the ideals and moral norms of the profession, but also to embrace them as a part of what it means to be a nurse. The Code of Ethics for Nurses developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) makes explicit the primary goals, values, and obligations of the profession.

The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses serves the following purposes:

• It is a succinct statement of the ethical obligations and duties of every individual who enters the nursing profession.
• It is the profession’s nonnegotiable ethical standard.
• It is an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society.

The Code of Ethics for Nurses is available from the American Nurses Association at http://nursingworld.org/books/

Reference
American Nurses Association (ANA), (2001), Code of Ethics for Nurses, American Nurses Association, Washington, D.C.

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