6.2 Basic Ethical Concepts

The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines morality as “personal values, character, or conduct of individuals or groups within communities and societies,” whereas ethics is the formal study of morality from a wide range of perspectives.^[1] Ethics is considered so important in the role of a nurse that it is ANA’s first Standard of Professional Performance. The ANA Standards of Professional Nursing Practice are “authoritative statements of the actions and behaviors that all registered nurses, regardless of role, population, specialty, and setting, are expected to perform competently.” See the following box for the competencies associated with the ANA Ethics Standard of Professional Performance.^[2]

ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements is a moral foundation that guides nursing practice and ethical decision-making.^[4] This section will review several basic ethical concepts related to the ANA’s Ethics Standard of Professional Performance, such as values, morals, ethical theories, ethical principles, and the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.

Values

Values are individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another and serve as a guide for behavior considered “right” and “wrong.” People tend to adopt the values that they are raised with and believe those values are “right” because they are the values of their culture. Some personal values are considered sacred and moral imperatives based on an individual’s religious beliefs.^[5] See Figure 6.1^[6] for an image depicting values.

In addition to personal values, organizations also establish values. The American Nurses Association (ANA) Professional Nursing Model states that nursing is based on values such as caring, compassion, presence, trustworthiness, diversity, acceptance, and accountability. These values emerge from nursing practice beliefs, such as the importance of relationships, service, respect, willingness to bear witness, self-determination, and the pursuit of health.^[7] As result of these traditional values and beliefs by nurses, Americans have ranked nursing as the most ethical and honest profession in Gallup polls since 1999, with the exception of 2001 when firefighters earned the honor after the attacks on September 11.^[8]

The National League of Nursing (NLN) has also established four core values for nursing education: caring, integrity, diversity, and excellence:^[9]

• Caring: Promoting health, healing, and hope in response to the human condition.
• Integrity: Respecting the dignity and moral wholeness of every person without conditions or limitations.
• Diversity: Affirming the uniqueness of and differences among persons, ideas, values, and ethnicities.
• Excellence: Cocreating and implementing transformative strategies with daring ingenuity.

Morals

Morals are the prevailing standards of behavior of a society that enable people to live cooperatively in groups. “Moral” refers to what societies sanction as right and acceptable. Most people tend to act morally and follow societal guidelines, and most laws are based on the morals of a society. Morality often requires that people sacrifice their own short-term interests for the benefit of society. People or entities that are indifferent to right and wrong are considered “amoral,” while those who do evil acts are considered “immoral.”^[11]

Ethical Theories

There are two major types of ethical theories that guide values and moral behavior referred to as deontology and consequentialism.

Deontology is an ethical theory based on rules that distinguish right from wrong. See Figure 6.2^[12] for a word cloud illustration of deontology. Deontology is based on the word Deon that refers to “duty.” It is associated with philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant believed that ethical actions follow universal moral laws, such as, “Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Don’t cheat.”^[13] Deontology is simple to apply because it just requires people to follow the rules and do their duty. It doesn’t require weighing the costs and benefits of a situation, thus avoiding subjectivity and uncertainty.^{[14],[15],[16]}

The nurse-patient relationship is deontological in nature because it is based on the ethical principles called beneficence and maleficence that drive clinicians to “do good” and “avoid harm.”^[17] Ethical principles will be discussed further in this chapter.

Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not an action is right by the consequences of the action. See Figure 6.3^[19] for an illustration of weighing the consequences of an action in consequentialism. For example, most people agree that lying is wrong. But if telling a lie would help save a person’s life, consequentialism says it’s the right thing to do. One type of consequentialism is utilitarianism. Utilitarianism judges actions by their consequences with the standard of achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of people.^{[20],[21],[22]} For this reason, utilitarianism tends to be society-centered. When applying utilitarian ethics to health care resources, money, time, and clinician energy are considered finite resources that should be appropriately allocated to achieve the best health care for society.^[23]

However, utilitarianism can be complicated when accounting for values such as justice and individual rights. For example, assume a hospital has four patients whose lives depend upon receiving four organ transplant surgeries for a heart, lung, kidney, and liver. If a healthy person without health insurance or family support experiences a life-threatening accident and is comatose but kept alive on life-sustaining equipment in the ICU, the utilitarian framework might suggest the organs be harvested to save four lives at the expense of one life.^[24] This action could arguably produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people, but the deontological approach could argue this action would be unethical because it does not follow the rule of “do no harm.”

Interestingly, deontological and utilitarian approaches to ethical issues may result in the same outcome, but the rationale for the outcome or decision is different because it is focused on duty (deontologic) versus consequences (utilitarian).

Societies and cultures have unique ethical frameworks and may include the application of either deontological or consequentialist ethical theory. Culturally-derived deontological rules may apply to ethical issues in health care. For example, a traditional Chinese philosophy based on Confucianism results in a culturally-acceptable practice of family members (rather than the client) receiving information from health care providers about life-threatening medical conditions and making treatment decisions. As a result, cancer diagnoses and end-of-life treatment options may not be disclosed to the client in an effort to alleviate the suffering that may arise from knowledge of their diagnosis. In this manner, a client’s family and the health care provider may ethically prioritize a client’s psychological well-being over their autonomy and self-determination.^[26] However, in the United States, this ethical decision may conflict with HIPAA Privacy Rules and the ethical principle of patient autonomy. As a result, a nurse providing patient care in this type of situation may experience an ethical dilemma.

See Table 6.2 comparing common ethical issues in health care viewed through the lens of deontological and consequential ethical frameworks.

Table 6.2 Ethical Issues Through the Lens of Deontological or Consequential Ethical Frameworks

Ethical Principles and Obligations

Ethical principles are used to define nurses’ moral duties and aid in ethical analysis and decision-making.^[27] Although there are many ethical principles that guide nursing practice, foundational ethical principles include autonomy (self-determination), beneficence (do good), nonmaleficence (do no harm), justice (fairness), and veracity (tell the truth).

Autonomy

The ethical principle of autonomy recognizes each individual’s right to self-determination and decision-making based on their unique values, beliefs, and preferences. See Figure 6.4^[28] for an illustration of autonomy. The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines autonomy as the “capacity to determine one’s own actions through independent choice, including demonstration of competence.”^[29] The nurse’s primary ethical obligation is client autonomy.^[30] Based on autonomy, clients have the right to refuse nursing care and medical treatment. An example of autonomy in health care is advance directives. Advance directives allow clients to specify health care decisions if they become incapacitated and unable to do so.

Nurses as Advocates: Supporting Autonomy

Nurses have a responsibility to act in the interest of those under their care, referred to as advocacy. The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines advocacy as “the act or process of pleading for, supporting, or recommending a cause or course of action. Advocacy may be for persons (whether an individual, group, population, or society) or for an issue, such as potable water or global health.”^[31] See Figure 6.5^[32] for an illustration of advocacy.

Advocacy includes providing education regarding client rights, supporting autonomy and self-determination, and advocating for client preferences to health care team members and family members. Nurses do not make decisions for clients, but instead support them in making their own informed choices. At the core of making informed decisions is knowledge. Nurses serve an integral role in patient education. Clarifying unclear information, translating medical terminology, and making referrals to other health care team members (within their scope of practice) ensures that clients have the information needed to make treatment decisions aligned with their personal values.

At times, nurses may find themselves in a position of supporting a client’s decision they do not agree with and would not make for themselves or for the people they love. However, self-determination is a human right that honors the dignity and well-being of individuals. The nursing profession, rooted in caring relationships, demands that nurses have nonjudgmental attitudes and reflect “unconditional positive regard” for every client. Nurses must suspend personal judgement and beliefs when advocating for their clients’ preferences and decision-making.^[33]

Beneficence

Beneficence is defined by the ANA as “the bioethical principle of benefiting others by preventing harm, removing harmful conditions, or affirmatively acting to benefit another or others, often going beyond what is required by law.”^[34] See Figure 6.6^[35] for an illustration of beneficence. Put simply, beneficence is acting for the good and welfare of others, guided by compassion. An example of beneficence in daily nursing care is when a nurse sits with a dying patient and holds their hand to provide presence.

Nursing advocacy extends beyond direct patient care to advocating for beneficence in the communities we serve. Vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, cultural minorities, and the homeless often benefit from nurse advocacy in promoting health equity. Cultural humility is a humble and respectful attitude towards individuals of other cultures and an approach to learning about other cultures as a lifelong goal and process.^[36] Nurses, the largest segment of the health care community, have a powerful voice when addressing community beneficence issues, such as health disparities and social determinants of health, and can serve as the conduit for advocating for change.

Nonmaleficence

Nonmaleficence is defined by the ANA as “the bioethical principle that specifies a duty to do no harm and balances avoidable harm with benefits of good achieved.”^[37] See Figure 6.7^[38] for an illustration of avoiding harm. An example of doing no harm in nursing practice is reflected by nurses checking medication rights three times before administering medications. In this manner, medication errors can be avoided and the duty to do no harm is met. Another example of nonmaleficence is when a nurse assists a client with a serious, life-threatening condition to participate in decision-making regarding their treatment plan. By balancing the potential harm with potential benefits of various treatment options, while also considering quality of life and comfort, the client can effectively make decisions based on their values and preferences.

Justice

Justice is defined by the ANA as “a moral obligation to act on the basis of equality and equity and a standard linked to fairness for all in society.”^[39] See Figure 6.8^[40] for an illustration of promoting justice. The principle of justice requires health care to be provided in a fair and equitable way. Nurses provide quality care for all individuals with the same level of fairness despite the individual’s financial status, culture, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Nurses have a social contract with society to “provide compassionate care that addresses the individual’s needs for protection, advocacy, empowerment, optimization of health, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering, comfort, and well-being.”^[41] An example of a nurse using the principle of justice in daily nursing practice is effective prioritization based on client needs.

Other Ethical Principles

Additional ethical principles commonly applied to health care include fidelity (keeping promises) and veracity (telling the truth). See Figure 6.9^[42] for an illustration of honesty. An example of fidelity in daily nursing practice is when a nurse tells a client, “I will be back in an hour to check on your pain level.” This promise is kept. An example of veracity in nursing practice is when a nurse does not use false reassurance to comfort a patient but instead focuses on other therapeutic interventions to promote coping. Determining how truthfulness will benefit the client and support their autonomy is dependent on a nurse’s clinical judgment, self-reflection, knowledge of the patient and their cultural beliefs, and other factors.^[43]

A principle historically associated with health care is paternalism. Paternalism is defined as the interference by the state or an individual with another person, defended by the claim that the person interfered with will be better off or protected from harm.^[44] Paternalism is the basis for legislation related to drug enforcement and compulsory wearing of seatbelts. See Figure 6.10^[45] for an illustration of paternalism.

In health care, paternalism has been used as rationale for performing treatment based on what the provider believes is in the client’s best interest. In some situations, paternalism may be appropriate for individuals who are unable to comprehend information in a way that supports their informed decision-making, but it must be used cautiously to ensure vulnerable individuals are not misused and their autonomy is not violated.

Nurses may find themselves acting paternalistically when performing nursing care to ensure client health and safety. For example, repositioning clients to prevent skin breakdown is a preventative intervention commonly declined by clients when they prefer a specific position for comfort. In this situation, the nurse should explain the benefits of the preventative intervention and the risks if the intervention is not completed. If the client continues to decline the intervention despite receiving this information, the nurse should document the education provided and the client’s decision to decline the intervention. The process of reeducating the client and reminding them of the importance of the preventative intervention should be continued at regular intervals and documented.

Care-Based Ethics

Nurses use a client-centered, care-based ethical approach to patient care that focuses on the specific circumstances of each situation. This approach aligns with nursing concepts such as caring, holism, and a nurse-client relationship rooted in dignity and respect through virtues such as kindness and compassion.^[46],[47] This care-based approach to ethics uses a holistic, individualized analysis of situations rather than the prescriptive application of ethical principles to define ethical nursing practice. This care-based approach asserts that ethical issues cannot be handled deductively by applying concrete and prefabricated rules, but instead require social processes that respect the multidimensionality of problems.^[48] Frameworks for resolving ethical situations are discussed in the “Ethical Dilemmas” subsection of this chapter.

Nursing Code of Ethics

Many professions and institutions have their own set of ethical principles, referred to as a code of ethics, designed to govern decision-making and assist individuals to distinguish right from wrong. The American Nurses Association (ANA) provides a framework for ethical nursing care and guides nurses during decision-making in its formal document titled Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements (Nursing Code of Ethics). The Nursing Code of Ethics serves the following purposes:^[49]

• It is a succinct statement of the ethical values, obligations, duties, and professional ideals of nurses individually and collectively.
• It is the profession’s nonnegotiable ethical standard.
• It is an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society.

The preface of ANA’s Nursing Code of Ethics states, “Individuals who become nurses are expected to adhere to the ideals and moral norms of the profession and also to embrace them as a part of what it means to be a nurse. The ethical tradition of nursing is self-reflective, enduring, and distinctive. A code of ethics makes explicit the primary goals, values, and obligations of the profession.”^[50]

The Nursing Code of Ethics contains nine provisions. Each provision contains several clarifying or “interpretive” statements.  Read a summary of the nine provisions in the following box.

In addition to the Nursing Code of Ethics, the ANA established the Center for Ethics and Human Rights to help nurses navigate ethical conflicts and life-and-death decisions common to everyday nursing practice.

Specialty Organization Code of Ethics

Many specialty nursing organizations have additional codes of ethics to guide nurses practicing in settings such as the emergency department, home care, or hospice care. These documents are unique to the specialty discipline but mirror the statements from ANA’s Nursing Code of Ethics. View ethical statements of various specialty nursing organizations using the information in the following box.