What is the Professional Code of Ethics for Nurses?

Leading Australian nursing and midwifery organisations collectively adopted the International Council of Nurses’ (ICN) Code of Ethics for Nurses and the International Confederation of Midwives’ (ICM) Code of Ethics for Midwives last month as their guiding documents on ethical decision making across the professions moving forward.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), Australian College of Midwives (ACM) and Australian College of Nursing (ACN) jointly agreed to adopt the codes after a steering group established to review the NMBA’s longstanding codes of ethics for nurses and midwives concluded the ICN and ICM documents provided high-level, contemporary leadership on ethical practice and should be accepted.

The ICN’s Code of Ethics for Nurses states elements that define standards of ethical conduct include nurses demonstrating compassion and integrity and advocating for access to healthcare, nurses maintaining standards of personal conduct that uphold the profession’s values, nurses implementing proper standards of clinical practice, and nurses fostering collaborative and respectful relationships with colleagues.

To be effective as an action-based tool, the ICN document says nurses must study and reflect on the code’s standards and apply them to everyday nursing and healthcare amid a changing society.

In a similar vein, the ICM’s International Code of Ethics for Midwives aims to improve the standard of care provided to women, babies and families across the globe through guidelines for midwives on education, practice and research.

The code encourages midwives to support the rights of women and families to actively take part in decisions about their care, engage with policy and funding agencies to define women’s needs for health services, provide culturally respectful care, and ensure the advancement of midwifery knowledge is based on activities that protect the rights of women as persons.

“These mandates include how midwives relate to others, how they practise midwifery, how they uphold professional responsibilities and duties, and how they work to assure the integrity of the profession of midwifery,” the code states.

ANMF Federal Vice President Lori-Anne Sharp said the codes of ethics were a welcome advancement.

“Globally recognised standards of ethical conduct is highly relevant and will add strength and guidance to nurses and midwives in all aspects of their work.

“I encourage nurses and midwives to study the codes of ethics and am confident they will prove helpful in providing guidance when facing ethical dilemmas and standards of conduct.”

The new codes of ethics are available online at the Professional Standards section of the NMBA’s website.

1. International Council of Nurses The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses. 2006. Available from: http://www.icn.ch/images/stories/documents/about/icncode_english.pdf.

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3. Canadian Nurse Association Code of Ethics for Registered Nurse. 2008. Available: http://www.cna-nurses.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/Code_of_Ethics_2008_e.pdf.

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This Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia has been developed for the nursing profession in Australia. It is relevant to all nurses at all levels and areas of practice including those encompassing clinical, management, education and research domains. This Code is framed by the principles and standards set forth in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the World Health Organization’s Constitution and publication series entitled Health and Human Rights; and the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report 2004: Cultural liberty in today’s diverse world.

In considering this Code and its companion, the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia, it should be borne in mind that they are designed for multiple audiences: nurses; nursing students; people requiring or receiving nursing care; the community generally; employers of nurses; nursing regulatory authorities; and consumer protection agencies. It is also noteworthy that the concepts of ‘ethics’ and ‘morality’ are substantially the same and have been used interchangeably throughout this Code.

This Code outlines the nursing profession’s commitment to respect, promote, protect and uphold the fundamental rights of people who are both the recipients and providers of nursing and health care.

It is supported by, and should be read in conjunction with, the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia and the National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse, National Competency Standards for the Enrolled Nurse and National Competency Standards for the Nurse Practitioner.

These three documents, together with other published practice standards (e.g. decision-making frameworks, guidelines and position statements), provide a framework for accountable and responsible nursing practice in all clinical, management, education and research areas. This Code is complementary to the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Code of Ethics for Nurses and is intended to be interpreted in conjunction with that code and related ICN position statements. It is further intended that the Code be read in conjunction with other ethical standards and guidelines developed by state and territory professional nursing organisations.

1. Nurses value quality nursing care for all people.
2. Nurses value respect and kindness for self and others.
3. Nurses value the diversity of people.
4. Nurses value access to quality nursing and health care for all people.
5. Nurses value informed decision-making.
6. Nurses value a culture of safety in nursing and health care.
7. Nurses value ethical management of information.
8. Nurses value a socially, economically and ecologically sustainable environment promoting health and wellbeing.

Purpose

The purpose of the Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia is to:

• identify the fundamental ethical standards and values to which the nursing profession is committed, and that are incorporated in other endorsed professional nursing guidelines and standards of conduct
• provide nurses with a reference point from which to reflect on the conduct of themselves and others
• guide ethical decision-making and practice, and
• indicate to the community the human rights standards and ethical values it can expect nurses to uphold.

View the complete Code of Ethics for Nurses →