The student’s character and values that have a positive impact on academic nursing life include confidentiality, rationality, effective communication, high morals, respect, and promotion of equality. Basically, these elements form the strength of a successful nursing career. Positive ethical aspirations are achievable through action-oriented respect, mutual coexistence, and deeply entrenched social values, which are vital in the nursing career. These values are readiness and inclination to jump into actions that consider the morality of the decisions (Fowler, 2010).
The nursing professional code of ethics summarizes the professional act in nursing as functioning on inter and intrapersonal interactions with the patients. However, there are ethical dilemmas that often arise. For instance, procuring abortion goes against life and denies the unborn baby the right to life. On the other hand, the action of a sick Jehovah’s Witness member to decline blood transfusion may also become an ethical dilemma, especially when this action is likely to result in the death of the person. In the above examples, a nurse must apply rational judgment to analyze the extent and threats when making decisions in the best interest of the clients (Pozgar, 2013).
The primary relationship between legal and ethical issues facing nurses in their practice is very dynamic. For instance, the nurses have the responsibility of maintaining confidentiality, professionalism, and due care within the confines of what is morally upright. However, this goes against situational ethics. For example, a nurse has the responsibility of trying his or her best in addressing emergencies without necessarily having to consult the patient.
At the same time, provision 1 and provision 2 of the code of ethics for nurses dictate that a patient has a right to accurate information and the utmost care from the nurses. Ethic and legal relationships in the nursing practice revolve around exercising rational judgment in course of actions when dealing with a patient to make such actions ethically correct. The NPA Sec. 335.016 act summarizes the professional act in nursing as dependent on the relationship between the patient and caregiver (American Nurses Association, 2010).
The two least ethical dilemmas that nurses face in their practice are the provision of sensitive information to patients and balancing the diagnosis and appropriate treatment. These conditions have been improved over the years and are no longer a big challenge to nurses. When a nurse is confronted by an ethical dilemma, employing accountability and responsibility will introduce the elements of rationale and moral judgment within the laws to ensure that the action taken is in the best interest of the patient (Judith, Baile, Anderson, & Docherty, 2011).
References
American Nurses Association. (2010). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Washington, DC: Wiley and Son.
Fowler, M. (2010). Guide to the code of ethics for nurses: Interpretation and application. Silver Springs, MD: Nursebooks.
Judith A. A., Baile, D.E., Anderson, R. A., & Docherty, S. L. (2011). Nursing roles and strategies in end-of-life decision making in acute care: A systematic review of the literature. Nursing Research and Practice, 2(5), 45-67.
Pozgar, G.D. (2013). Legal and ethical issues for health professionals (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.