Health

Care
Ethics
Module 1
PROF .MARIA SUSAN Z.
MAGLAQUI
Learning Content : Chapter 1 :Introductory Concepts on Health Care Ethics

Introduction

The word ethics is derived from the Greek word “ethos”, which
means custom or guiding beliefs.

Ethics determines the characteristics of a profession and is also

called as a “code of conduct”

Ethics are the determined standard rules or principles that

govern the right conduct and are designed to protect the rights
of a human being

”. Nursing ethics provides the professional standards for

nursing activities, which protect the nurses and the patients
from legal and ethical issues.
Introductory Concepts on Health Care Ethics

The code of ethics in nursing explains the members

of a profession what kind of conduct is expected
from them in their practice.

It states the responsibilities of the members

towards those they serve, their co-workers, the
profession and the society as a whole.

When a person becomes a member of the nursing

profession, he/she should accept the responsibility
of living according to the code of ethics in order to
maintain the standards of the nursing profession.
Philosophy
a. Philosophy comes from the Ancient Greek and
traditionally define as the love of wisdom

It attempts to explain what is real and what is not real

or what is true and what is false .

Its discussion based on the capabilities of

the human mind about the nature of reason and reality
a. Theory refers to principle which attempts to describe
the truth about reason and reality.
Introductory Concepts on Health Care Ethics

a. Ethics is that branch of philosophy that implies

human mind as the fundamental means by which
action may be judged . The judgment itself may arise
from the nature and principles of reason (as in
Kant,1984)

It is not the same as moral theology or religious

ethics since Ethics use common human experience
as its point of departure .
Ethics is not to be taken as an attack on religious
founded morality, which for the believer has a
superior validity.
IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN NURSING

Ethics is important in the nursing profession for the following

reasons:
1. Ethics is used to guide the professional behavior of the
nurses.
2. It helps the teachers to identify what needs to be taught
for the nursing students.
3. It can be used to prevent a nurse from practising if his/her
conduct is poor and clearly below the standards set by the
code.
4. It can be used to protect a nurse who is falsely accused of
doing something wrong.

5.It can also be used as a guide for direction when legal

action must be taken in a lawsuit
Other Definition of terms
a. Law is an important expression of social judgment about the rightness and wrongness of actions that seriously affect the public good 

Law is largely concerned with the public good and the protection of individual rights

Example The prohibition and definition of murder ,which is an issue when medical treatment can be terminated or in example of copyright laws governing file
swapping
a. Bioethics - is concerned with questions about basic human values such as the rights to life and health, and the rightness or wrongness of certain
developments in healthcare institutions, life technology, medicine, the health professions and about society's responsibility for the life and health of its
members.

Bioethics is multidisciplinary. and it blends philosophy, theology, history, and law with medicine, nursing, health policy, and the medical humanities.

Examples of topic areas of bioethics are organ donation and transplantation, genetic research, death and dying, and environmental concerns.
a. Professional Ethics - ethical norms, values, and principles that guide a profession and the ethics of decisions made within the profession.

b. Nursing ethics refers to the professional standards of conduct practised by nurses related to or in accordance with
approved moral behavior in rendering health care services.
Nursing Ethics
Nursing ethics provides the professional standards for nursing
activities,which help to protect not only the nurse but also the
patient.

In 1973, the International Council for Nurses (ICN) adopted

the code of ethics and implemented a rule that all nurses must
follow this code.

The main objectives of the code of ethics as described by

the ICN are as follows:
1. Promote health and well-being
2. Prevent illnesses and complications
3. Restore the health and alleviate the suffering of the
patient without any complications
Nursing Code of Ethics
The generalized objective of the code of
ethics is that the principles evolved should
be made universal and nursing care should
be given irrespective of the race, caste, creed,
religion, age, sex and politics of the patient.

A nurse should maintain the dignity of the

nursing profession in any situation and
should not be influenced by the social status
of the patient or money and get involved in
corruption.
Code of Ethics
The code of ethics states the kind of conduct expected from the
members of a profession and the responsibilities of its members
towards those whom they serve, their co-workers, the profession
and the society as a whole.

It would be easier in decision-making if the member understands

what the wrong or right behavior in different situations is.

The first such code of ethics, called the International Code of

Nursing Ethics, was adopted by the Grand Council of the ICN at
Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1953. It was later revised in Frankfurt,
Germany, in 1965 and then came to be known as the ICN Code of
Ethics. The most recent revision was in 1973 and took place in
Mexico City, Mexico, and resulted in the present code for nurses.

Each revision of the code has resulted in clearer and broader

standards, which can be applied in any culture.
ICN Code of Ethics
The ICN Code of Ethics gives a general
description of the following:
1. What a nurse does: the fourfold
responsibility of promoting health,
preventing illness, restoring health and
alleviating suffering.
2. How nursing service should be given:
unrestricted by the considerations of
nationality, race, creed, colour, age, sex,
politics or social status; coordinated with
related groups.
3. To whom service is given: the individual,
the family and the community.
ICN Code of Ethics –Five sections
Nurses and People

This code is concerned with a nurse’s actions towards the

people. Here, the term “people” refers to the patients for
whom care is provided. A nurse’s responsibilities based on
the ethics are as follows:

1. Hold the personal information of patients in

confidence and use judgement in sharing this information.

2. Provide nursing care with prime responsibility for

those who need care.

3. Provide care for patients without considering their

caste, creed, etc. and give respect to their values, customs,
and spiritual beliefs
ICN Code of Ethics
Nurses and People

This code is concerned with a nurse’s actions

towards the people. Here, the term “people” refers
to the patients for whom care is provided. A nurse’s
responsibilities based on the ethics are as follows:
1. Hold the personal information of patients in
confidence and use judgement in sharing this
information.
2. Provide nursing care with prime responsibility
for those who need care.

Provide care for patients without considering their

caste, creed, etc. and give respect to their values,
customs, and spiritual beliefs
ICN Code of Ethics –Five sections
Nurses and Society

This code reflects on the responsibilities of a nurse

towards the society and states the following:
1. Educate the public and create awareness about the
various health problems as and when needed.
2. Initiate and support activities to meet the health
and social needs of the public.
3. Act as an initiator, supervisor and supporter of
any health programme implemented for the
benefit of the society.
4. Inform the higher authorities in time about any
abnormalities or contagious diseases noticed
during nursing care.
ICN Code of Ethics –Five sections
Nurses and Co-workers

Nursing is always a teamwork. An individual can never

provide complete care. He/she needs the support and
guidance of the co-workers. This code aims to do the
following:
1. Create “espirit de corps” among the workers.
2. Have a positive and healthy relationship with the
co-workers.
3. Maintain dignity and give respect to the co-workers
at all levels.
4. Safeguard patients and co-workers by taking
appropriate actions, especially in case of accidents,
disasters, bioterrorism, bomb explosions, etc.
ICN Code of Ethics –Five sections
Nurses and the Profession

Nursing has its own scientific background and its own nursing foundation.
This is why it is called as the nursing profession. It has its own professional
bodies and associations, such as the Trained Nurses Association of India
(TNAI), Indian Nursing Council and the ICN. They provide training on the
policies and procedures involved in the nursing profession and implement
updated standard principles of nursing practices, which all the nurses should
abide by and follow. This code reflects on the responsibilities of a nurse
towards their profession as follows:
1.Be
a activerole
major andinalert at all
caring times
forinthe as a nurse
patient. Useplays
professional knowledge
of nursing care. the administration
2.U pdate
the the of
quality standards of practice
care through andactivities.
research improve
3.P rovide
and care equally
establish to all categories
good conditions.
and healthy socialof people,
and
economic working
4.A dopt
all high
stages ofqualities of nursing
his/her and
nursing care through
practice, that is,
novice, practitioner expert.
5.Be an active member in a nursing organization .
Nursing Branches Involving Ethical Issues
Ethical issues are involved in the following branches in nursing:

1. Nursing research

2. Nursing education

3. Nursing administration

4. Nursing management

5. Intensive care unit

6. Operation theatre/surgical nursing

7. Medical nursing

8. Community health nursing

9. Child health nursing

10. Mental health nursing

11. Maternity nursing

12. Nursing procedures