My nursing ethics as a nurse - Essay Example

Man in his supreme mental capacity has made life in a more survival state but the question of ethical and moral acceptability has been raised since man intervened with life’s natural process. Nurses and other health care professionals are the ones in the frontline of bridging man’s full health potential thus making life even longer. On a personal point of view, the degree of respect to life as a health care professional is at its utmost. The scope of nursing as well as medical practice has opened ideal views of life in its respect to health that is catered to all individuals regardless of gender, color and race, thus no life is to be spared (The President’s Council on Bioethics, 2003; US National Library of Medicine, 2012 ).

Ethically and morally, the figure of a nurse upholds life’s dignity but differences in beliefs, morals and character brings out different stories. Practice in the scope of nursing is complex but the complexities did not stop nurses from being true advocates of health. Instead the healthcare world developed codes to clearly define the scope of acceptable practice, thus no one will be placed neither above nor below it. As a nurse, The Code of Ethics for Nurses, have personally shaped me into becoming the ideal nurse as an advocate of life and health.

It provides nurses with a framework to use in ethical analysis and decision making. Hence it establishes the ethical standard for the practice of nursing defining what is acceptable in the ethical views that does not favor any group, religion or status but only favors the value of life and service (American Nurses Association, 2010). Personally the values that have greatly influenced my view and philosophy of nursing are respect for human life, compassion, professionalism, social responsibility and dedication.

All these values were not inherent but were rather acquired during the nursing degree. Respect for human life has always been there and the joy it brings when saving someone’s life out of danger and potential harm by means of service and compassion is priceless. Social responsibility is a very important value to be an effective nurse. It is being an advocate of one another stating that responsibility does not end with one person alone but extends to the whole society and one must act accordingly to contribute for the greater good.

This distinguishes a nurse who does work over time because service is needed from the nurse who does over time work because monetary value is considered. Nursing is a vocation rather than a profession, to be an effective nurse is to understand that your service is no longer yours nor to the workplace you work for but is to the people in need. How many have you been called in the neighborhood for an emergency? Yes, the bother can be something but the feeling of saving someone’s life is more than anything.

Ethics and values are significant words in the world of nursing for it greatly affect how nursing services are delivered by a nurse. Ethics defines actions acceptable if it is done in ways which are consistent with one’s beliefs (Navran, 2010). Nursing practice is composed of many concepts that sometimes promote, adhere or contrasts with another. That is why nurses are sometimes caught in the dilemma brought about by clash of ideas. Ethical dilemmas such as DNR consent or advance directives can greatly affect the way nurses give care to patients.

DNR for example can come in