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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Is the 2008 NMC Code ethical?

Stephen Pattison¹, Paul Wainwright

¹The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

|January 22, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The UK Nursing and Midwifery Council

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Area of Science:

Nursing Ethics
Professional Conduct
Healthcare Regulation

Background:

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) revised its code of conduct in 2008.
Previous versions and nursing codes of ethics have faced criticism regarding their ethical standing and utility.
Significant stylistic changes were introduced in the latest NMC code.

Purpose of the Study:

To critically review the 2008 NMC Code of Conduct.
To evaluate the appropriateness of labeling the document as a code of ethics.
To identify shortcomings in the current NMC code.

Main Methods:

Content analysis of the NMC Code.
Review of existing literature on nursing codes of ethics.
Critical evaluation of the code's ethical framework.

Main Results:

The NMC's 2008 code represents a notable shift in style from prior versions.
The current code has been subject to controversy and extensive critique.
The review identifies several areas where the code falls short of ethical standards.

Conclusions:

The NMC's designation of the 2008 Code as a code of ethics is questionable.
The revised code may not adequately address the ethical complexities of nursing practice.
Further refinement is needed to enhance the ethical robustness and utility of the NMC code.