Morals and Ethics

What are they?

Nursing Codes of Ethics

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The purpose of the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia is to:1. Outline a set of minimum national standards of

conduct members of thenursing profession are expected to uphold;

2. Inform the community of the standards of professional conduct it can expect nurses in Australia to uphold;

3. Provide consumer, regulatory, employing and professional bodies with a basis for evaluating the professional conduct of nurses (NMBA, 2008).

Most professional ethical codes consider three principal areas: Standards of professional competence Standards of professional integrity Standards of professional etiquette (Elder, Evans & Nizette, 2009, p.74).

Morals and Ethics Morals: is similar to ethics and

many people use the two wards interchangeably (closely associated with the concept of ethics)

Derived from the Latin “mores”, means custom or habit.

Morality: usually refers to an individual’s personal standards of what is right and wrong in conduct, character, and attitude.

Morals: are based on religious beliefs and social influence and group norms

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Morals and Ethics (continue)

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Ethics is a branch of philosophy (the study of beliefs and assumptions) referred to as moral philosophy.

Derived from the Greek word “ethos” which means customs, habitual usage, conduct and character.

Ethics: usually refers to the practices, beliefs, and standards of behavior of a particular group such as nurses. It also refers to the method of inquiry that assists people to understood the morality of human behavior (study of morality)

Morals and Ethics (continue)

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In both, we describe the behaviour we observe as good, right, desirable, honourable, fitting or proper or we might describe the behaviour as bad, wrong, improper, irresponsible, or evil. These perceptions are based on values.

There are times when a differences in values and decisions can be accepted

Differences in values and decisions put people into direct conflict.

What to do in such situation?

Morals and Ethics (resolving conflicts)

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Be constructive (rather than destructive) in the methods you choose to work toward resolving the differences

Listen carefully without interruptions Seek clarification using gentle questioning Respect cultural differences Be attentive to body language Explain the context of your point of view and try to picture the other

person’sperspective of what you are saying

Comparison of morals and ethics

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Morals Principles and rules of

right conduct

Private, and personal

Commitment to principles and values is usually defended in daily life

Pertain to an individual‘scharacter

Ethics Formal responding process

used to determine right conduct

Professionally and publicly stated

Inquiry or study of principlesand values Process of questioning, andperhaps changing, one’s

morals Speaks to relationships

between human beings

Moral/ethical principles (concepts)

Are statements about broad, general philosophic concepts such as autonomy and justice

They provide the foundation for moral values, which are specific prescriptions for actions (e.g. “people should not lie” (rule) is based on the moral principle of respect of autonomy for people.

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Basic ethical concepts

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Rights AutonomyBeneficence and NonmaleficenceJustice Fidelity VeracityThe standard of bestinterest

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Basic ethical conceptsRights

Rights form the basis of mostprofessional codes and legal judgments

Self-determination rights

Rights and cultural relativism

Rights of the unborn

Rights of privacy and confidentiality

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Basic ethical conceptsAutonomy

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A person should have the right to make their own decisions, provided these decisions do not violate other people's autonomy.Involves the right of self-determination, independence, and freedom.It refers to the right to make one’s own decisionsRespect for autonomy means that nurses recognise the individual’s uniqueness, the right to be what that person is, and the right to choose personal goalsNurses who follow the principle of autonomy respect a client's right to make decisions even when those choices seem not to be in the client’s best interest (Elder, Evans & Nizette, 2009, p.74).

Basic ethical concepts Autonomy….. (continue)

Respect for people also means treating others with considerationIn the clinical setting, this principle is violated when a nurse disregardsclient's subjective accounts of their symptoms (e.g. pain)Patients should give informed consent before tests and procedures are carried out

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Basic ethical conceptsBeneficence and Nonmaleficence

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Beneficence: means “doing good”Beneficence in regard to nursing research or

clinical care

implies that what is conducted is good for the well being ofthe person. Beneficence is the deliberate bringing about ofpositive action or intervention (Elder, Evans & Nizette, 2009, p. 74).Nurses should implement actions that benefit clients andtheir support persons. However, in an increasing technologichealth care system, doing good can also pose a risk of doingharm (e.g. intensive exercise program).

Nonmaleficence: means the duty to do no harm.Nonmaleficence means above all to do ‘no harm’ and

impliesboth the duty of care to avoid actual harm as well as toconsider the risks of any potential harm (Elder, Evans & Nizette, 2009, p.74).This is the basis of most codes of nursing ethics.

Harm can mean deliberate harm, risk of harm, and unintentional harm.In nursing, intentional harm is always unacceptable. The risk of harm is not always clear

A client may be at risk of harm during a nursing

interventionthat is intended to be helpful (e.g. medication)

Basic ethical conceptsJustice

Justice- refers to what society's expectation are of what is fair and right. The characteristics of justice imply that equality, access and no evidence of subordination exist (Elder, Evans & Nizette, 2009, p. 74).Is often referred to as fairnessNurses frequently face decisions in which a sense of justiceshould prevail (succeed)

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Basic ethical conceptsFidelity

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Fidelity means to be faithful to agreements andresponsibilities one has undertakenNurses have responsibilities to clients, employers, government, society, the profession, and themselvesCircumstances often affect which responsibilities take precedence at a particular time

Basic ethical conceptsVeracity

Veracity refers to telling the truthAs a nurse should I tell the truth when it is knownthat doing so will cause harm?Should I lie to dying people?

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