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The sources of a practice code of ethics for nurses
1Department of Mental Health, School of Nursing, University of California-San Francisco 94143-0608.
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|November 1, 1991
Summary
Most master's-prepared nurses are unaware of the American Nurses Association Code for Nurses. Their nursing practice codes stem from clinical, personal, research, and student professional socialization experiences.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Ethics
- Professional Standards in Healthcare
Background:
- The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code for Nurses provides ethical guidelines for nursing practice.
- Understanding nurses' awareness of and adherence to professional ethical codes is crucial for patient care quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the awareness of the ANA Code for Nurses among master's-prepared nurses.
- To identify the sources that inform nurses' personal codes of practice.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative study involving interviews with 27 master's-prepared nurses across two clinical settings.
- Content analysis of interview data to identify themes related to ethical awareness and practice development.
Main Results:
- None of the interviewed nurses were familiar with the content of the ANA Code for Nurses.
- Four primary sources of ethical practice were identified: clinical experiences, personal values, research exposure, and professional socialization during student training.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant gap in awareness regarding the ANA Code for Nurses among experienced nurses.
- Nurses' ethical frameworks are largely developed through experiential learning rather than formal knowledge of professional codes.