ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses
Each person, upon entering the nursing profession, inherits a measure of the responsibility and trust associated with the profession, along with the corresponding obligation to adhere to the standards of ethical practice and conduct it has set. Nursing students are expected to show responsibility in their behavior; to deal with faculty, peers, patients, and clinical staff in a direct and honest manner; and to be professional in their conduct. Students who violate accepted standards for professional nursing may be discharged from the program. The Code of Ethics for Nurses was adopted by the American Nurses Association in 1950 and revised in 1960, 1968, 1976, 1985, and 2001 ( Reissued in 2010).
- The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.
- The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community.
- The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient.
- The nurse is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse’s obligation to provide optimum patient care.
- The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, to maintain competence, and to continue personal and professional growth.
- The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action.
- The nurse participates in the advancement of the profession through contributions to practice, education, administration, and knowledge development.
- The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public in promoting community, national, and international efforts to meet health needs.
- The profession of nursing, as represented by associations and their members, is responsible for articulating nursing values, for maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice, and for shaping social policy.