Ethical Practice

Understands, upholds and promotes the ethical standards of the nursing profession (13).

• View domains in table format

CLINICAL PRACTICE

1. Makes the client the primary concern in providing nursing care.
2. Provides care in a manner that preserves and protects client dignity.
3. Demonstrates honesty and integrity.
4. Clearly and accurately represents self with respect to name, title and role.
5. Protects client privacy and confidentiality.
6. Recognizes, respects and promotes the client’s right to be informed and make informed choices.
7. Promotes and maintains respectful communication in all professional interactions (14).
8. Treats colleagues, students and other health care workers in a respectful manner.
9. Recognizes and respects the contribution of others on the health care team.
10. Makes equitable decisions about the allocation of resources (15) under one’s control based on the needs of clients.
11. Identifies the effect of own values, beliefs and experiences in carrying out clinical activities; recognizes potential conflicts and takes action to prevent or resolve.
12. Identifies ethical issues; consults with the appropriate person or body; takes action to resolve and evaluates the effectiveness of actions.
13. Initiates, maintains and terminates nurse-client relationships in an appropriate manner.

EDUCATION (16)

1. Educates others to learn about ethical practice.
2. Educates others to provide care in a manner that preserves and protects client dignity.
3. Demonstrates honesty and integrity.
4. Clearly and accurately represents self with respect to name, title and role.
5. Educates others to protect client privacy and confidentiality.
6. Educates others to recognize, respect and promote the client's right to be informed and make informed choices.
7. Promotes and maintains respectful communication in all professional interactions; (14) educates others to do the same.
8. Treats colleagues, students and other health care workers in a respectful manner; educates others about respectful communication and ways to effect positive behaviour change in the workplace.
9. Recognizes and respects the contribution of others on the health care team.
10. Makes equitable decisions about the allocation of resources (15) under one’s control based on the needs of learners.
11. Identifies the effect of own values, beliefs and experiences in carrying out educational activities; recognizes potential conflicts and takes actions to prevent or resolve.
12. Assists others in identifying ethical issues; consults with the appropriate person or body; takes action to prevent or resolve and evaluates the effectiveness of actions.
13. Implements educational activities that support the initiation, maintenance and termination of nurse-client relationships in an appropriate manner.

ADMINISTRATION (16)

1. Actively supports the creation of a practice environment that enables nurses to meet their ethical obligations.
2. Guides nurses and others in providing care in a manner that preserves and protects client dignity.
3. Demonstrates honesty and integrity.
4. Clearly and accurately represents self with respect to name, title and role.
5. Protects client privacy and confidentiality.
6. Creates a practice environment that supports the client’s right to be informed and make informed choices.
7. Promotes and maintains respectful communication in all professional interactions; (14) guides others to do the same.
8. Treats colleagues, students and other health care workers in a respectful manner; addresses concerns related to disrespectful behaviour (17) in the workplace.
9. Recognizes and respects the contribution of others on the health care team.
10. Makes equitable decisions about the allocation of resources (15) under one’s control based on the needs of clients.
11. Identifies the effect of own values, beliefs and experiences in carrying out administrative activities; recognizes potential conflicts and takes actions to prevent or resolve.
12. Supports the establishment of mechanisms that assist nurses in recognizing and resolving ethical issues.
13. Guides nurses to initiate, maintain and terminate nurse-client relationships in an appropriate manner.

RESEARCH (16)

1. Advocates for and participates in processes that promote ethical and accountable research practices.
2. Ensures ethical guidelines are followed to protect research participants.
3. Demonstrates honesty and integrity.
4. Clearly and accurately represents self with respect to name, title and role.
5. Protects client privacy and confidentiality.
6. Ensures clients have the information necessary to make informed choices about their participation in research.
7. Promotes and maintains respectful communication in all professional interactions (14).
8. Treats colleagues, students and other health care workers in a respectful manner.
9. Recognizes and respects the contribution of others on the research and health care teams.
10. Identifies the effect of own values, beliefs and experiences in carrying out research activities; recognizes potential conflicts and takes actions to prevent or resolve.
11. Identifies ethical issues; consults with the appropriate person or body; takes action to resolve and evaluates the effectiveness of actions.
12. Initiates, maintains and terminates nurse-client relationships in an appropriate manner.

Practice Standards

• Appropriate Use of Titles
• Boundaries in the Nurse-Client Relationship
• Conflict of Interest
• Consent
• Duty to Provide Care
• Duty to Report
• Privacy and Confidentiality

Case studies & resources

• Learning resources

Links

CNA Code of Ethics​​

• Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans
  | 216 pages | 610 KB |