Nursing Challenges
Numerous concerns with professional nursing practice affect nursing care locally and internationally. I will review a single problem at each level and point out which clauses of the 2015 American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses are in question.
Local/Domestic Issue: Nursing Shortage
The persistent nursing shortage is a severe problem that affects how nursing care is delivered in the United States. Several variables, such as increased patient demand and a lack of nursing school capacity, are to blame for the shortage. The shortage impacts the standard of care delivered, adds strain for current nurses, and raises the risk of nurse burnout.
Impacted Provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics (2018 Code of Ethics PDF):
- Provision 5: The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.
- Provision 6: The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and employment conditions conducive to providing quality healthcare and consistent with the profession’s values through individual and collective action.
Global Issue: Access to Healthcare in Low-resource Settings
Limited access to healthcare services in low-resource areas is a critical issue that affects the nursing profession globally. Many nations lack the facilities and qualified medical personnel, including nurses, to provide their populations with the needed treatment. This problem results in health inequalities, elevated rates of morbidity, and human suffering.
Affected ANA Code of Ethics Provisions:
- Provision 1: The nurse practices with compassion and respect for every person’s inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes.
- Provision 8: The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.
- Provision 9: The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the profession’s integrity, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.
Both of these problems with nursing practice show how crucial it is to deal with the difficulties the nursing profession faces at home and abroad. The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses provides a framework to direct nursing practice and advocacy activities in resolving these challenges.
Reference
Code of Ethics PDF. (2018). ANA. Web.