At AMERICAN, The "Right Way" Is the Only Way

Social proof is a form of persuasion based on comparison and conformity. People compare their behavior and actions to what others are doing and will change to conform to do what their peers do.

Federal statutes profoundly impact nursing practice, providing critical guidelines to ensure patient care is equitable, accessible, and of the highest quality. The following laws address distinct aspects of healthcare provision and patient rights:

The American Nurses Association (ANA) created and implemented the first nationally accepted Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. The Code of Ethics is a living document regularly updated by the ANA and establishes an ethical standard that is non-negotiable for nurses in all roles and settings.
The Code of Ethics provisions outline the nurse's duty to the patient, the healthcare team, the profession, and society. The Code's fundamental principles include advocacy,...

Ethics is a philosophical study of moral actions. Ethics attempts to determine what is valuable for individuals and society. It examines the rational justification of moral judgments and analyzes what is morally just, fair, and right. Bioethics is a sub-discipline of applied ethics that analyzes the philosophical, social, and legal issues in life sciences and medicine. Ethical theories serve as a foundation for decision-making and represent the viewpoints from which people seek direction. They...

Conformity is the change in a person’s behavior to go along with the group, even if that person does not agree with the group.

Nurses bear specific legal responsibilities under several federal statutes, including: