Introduction
In Philosophy, ethics refers to things involving a systematic defending and coming up with the concepts that define right and wrong behaviors in a society. The term originates from a Greek work ethos referring to habits and customs. Ethics defines the best way the society intends human beings to behave and carry out their daily activities by defining what the right and wrong behaviors of humans (Peterson and Potter, 2004) are. Code of ethics consists of regulations or rules set by society to aid in defining and guiding the activities of people. The American Nurses Association is in the body of professional and registered nurses in the USA. It acts as the voices of all people in the American nursing profession. As a result, the American Nurses Association has the sole duty of regulation activities and behaviors of all nurses in the USA. To aid in achieving this duty, the American Nurses Association developed a code of ethics to govern the activities of all its members (Kongstvedt, 2001). The essentiality of this paper involves looking into the code of ethics provided by the American Nurses Association.
Provisions of the code of ethics provided by the American Nurses Association
Provision 1
Provision one requires all nurses to carry out their duties with respect and intense compassion as they consider the worth, dignity, and uniqueness of each patient they come across during their professional and duties and relationships (American Nurses Association, 2001). There should never be an occasion whereby considerations of social status, economic status, health problems, ethnic orientation, race, and personal attributes restrict a nurse from carrying out his or her duties.
Provision 2
The second provision looks into the goals of a nurse as he or she is carrying out his or her duties. The primary commitment of a nurse on practice is his or her commitment to the patient without considering gender, family, and community of the patient (American Nurses Association, 2001).
Provision 3
It demands all nurses to do all the necessary activities to aid in maintaining safety together with the rights of all their patients (American Nurses Association, 2001).
Provision 4
It dictates that nurse is always accountable and responsible for nursing practice of him or herself to gain the appropriate tasks that are consistent with the obligation of the nurse of providing maximum patient care (American Nurses Association, 2001).
Provision 5
The fifth provision mandates the nurse to owe the same duties he or she owes to him or herself to others. Such duties include the duty to maintain integrity, safety, and competence as a nurse seek to grow personally and professionally.
Provision 6
A nurse should participate in all activities that establish and improve the health care environment. The nurses should ensure that their conditions of employment are always conducive to facilitate the provision of health in a quality manner according to their professional values (American Nurses Association, 2001).
Provision 7
The seventh provision reminds all nurses participates in activities that will ensure that they advance professionally, such practicing nursing, training, registering for advanced education courses, and getting involved in administrative matters, among other things.
Provision 8
The eighth provision mandates all nurses to collaborate with the public and relevant health professionals to ensure that there is unity in promoting the community, national, and oversees health demands whenever they occur.
Provision 9
Finally, the ninth provision ensures all nurses value their nursing profession, maintain integrity, and enhance the shaping all social policies concerning health.
Conclusion
American Nurses Association’s code of ethics ensures that all nurses relate professionally with their clients. The nursing code of ethics also ensures that nurses maintain health facilities in a conducive to promote the provision of health services. People can refer to the code of ethics when determining the guilt of nurses whenever they are under judgment. Since the introduction of the nursing code ethics, the American Nurses Association has managed to curb many unethical issues in nursing practice.