Ethical competencies

COMPETENCIES

The registered nurse:

• Uses the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements () as a moral foundation to guide nursing practice and decision-making.
• Demonstrates that every person is worthy of nursing care through the provision of respectful, person-centered, compassionate care, regardless of personal history or characteristics. (Beneficence)
• Advocates for healthcare consumer perspectives, preferences, and rights to informed decision-making and self-determination. (Respect for autonomy)
• Demonstrates a primary commitment to the recipients of nursing and healthcare services in all settings and situations. (Fidelity)
• Maintains therapeutic relationships and professional boundaries.
• Acts to prevent breaches to privacy and confidentiality.
• Safeguards sensitive information within ethical, legal, and regulatory parameters. (Non-maleficence)
• Identifies ethics resources within the practice setting to assist and collaborate in addressing ethical issues.
• Integrates principles of social justice in all aspects of nursing practice. (Justice)

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• Refines ethical competence through continued professional education and personal self-development activities.
• Depicts one’s professional nursing identity through demonstrated values and ethics, knowledge, leadership, and professional comportment.
• Engages in self-care and self-reflection practices to support and preserve personal health, well-being, and integrity.
• Contributes to the establishment and maintenance of an ethical environment that is conducive to safe, quality health care.
• Collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, enhance cultural sensitivity and congruence, and reduce health disparities.
• Represents the nursing perspective in clinic, institutional, community, or professional association ethics discussions.