Understanding Ethics in Nursing: What Every Nurse Should Know

Ethical practice is foundational to nursing. Every shift, nurses make decisions that can affect patient safety, outcomes, and dignity. From the bedside to the boardroom, ethics guide how we assess needs, deliver care, communicate with families, and advocate for the most vulnerable.

Understanding and applying these principles is more than theory, it’s a critical component of professional practice. And continuing education plays a key role in ensuring nurses stay grounded in ethical clarity.

Why Nursing Ethics Matter

Unlike many professions, nursing combines science, emotion, urgency, and humanity in every encounter. Ethical concerns arise when:

A patient refuses life-saving treatment
Families disagree about end-of-life decisions
Nurses feel morally distressed by workplace constraints
Equity in care is at risk due to bias or system limitations

Navigating these situations requires more than clinical skill, it requires a strong ethical framework.

Key Ethical Principles in Nursing

The American Nurses Association (ANA) outlines several guiding ethical values, including:

Autonomy: Respecting the patient’s right to make their own decisions
Beneficence: Promoting well-being
Nonmaleficence: Avoiding harm
Justice: Treating all patients fairly
Fidelity: Honoring promises and commitments
Veracity: Being truthful and transparent

These principles shape every aspect of nursing, from triage to treatment plans.

Real-World Ethical Dilemmas Nurses Face

Nurses in all roles face ethical decisions daily. For example:

An LPN in long-term care may notice neglect but fears reporting could affect job security
An RN in an ICU may disagree with a physician’s treatment plan but struggles with chain-of-command policies
An APRN may balance a patient’s request for controlled substances with public health responsibilities

Each scenario highlights why a nurse’s understanding of ethics must be active and current.

How CEUs Help Nurses Stay Ethically Grounded

Many state boards now require or strongly recommend ethics-focused continuing education units (CEUs) as part of license renewal. These courses offer case studies, policy reviews, and decision-making models that help nurses act with integrity.

Look for CEUs in:

Healthcare ethics
Scope of practice and delegation
Patient advocacy and informed consent
Workplace whistleblowing and documentation
Social determinants of health and equity

Using Ethics to Elevate Practice

Ethical clarity leads to:

Safer decision-making
Stronger team communication
Increased trust from patients and families
Lower risk of disciplinary action
Greater confidence in high-pressure situations

Ethics are not abstract. They’re practical tools for delivering better care.

References

American Nurses Association (2023). Code of Ethics for Nurses. www.nursingworld.org
National Academy of Medicine (2022). Nursing and Ethics in a Changing System. www.nap.edu