Week 2: Role of Ethics Within Leadership 1
, Week 2: Role of Ethics Within Leadership 2
The Role of Ethics Within Leadership
According to the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics (2015), the difference
between morals and ethics is a matter of science. While morality commonly refers to an
individual’s personal character, beliefs, values and conduct within a community, ethics is the
formal study of morality and is considered a branch of philosophy or theology as a matter of
theory. (ANA, 2015). In nursing, there are several ethical principles that guide nursing practice,
including autonomy, beneficence, fidelity, justice, nonmaleficence, paternalism and respect.
While there are a number of ethical theories that are applicable to nursing, Cammie Derr (2012)
noted that there are two types of leadership styles that involve implementation of these ethical
theories: transformational leadership and transactional leadership. In her article Ethics and
Leadership, Derr set forth the simple principle that ethical leaders promote ethical employees.
(Derr, 2012). This paper will identify how two of the ethical principles of nursing, specifically
justice and autonomy, directly affect and can be applied to leadership in the field of nursing.
Explanation and Application of Ethical Principles to Leadership
The notion of justice as applied to nursing ethics simply means that all individuals are
equally entitled to care. The ANA notes that health is considered by the nursing profession to
be a “fundamental universal human right.” (ANA, 2015, p. 47). Principles of justice in the
healthcare industry note that individuals have equal rights both when seeking healthcare and in
participating in healthcare decisions. (Bhanji, 2013). The principle of autonomy in nursing
dovetails with the principle of justice, describing the notion that nurses have the right to apply
their professional knowledge and exercise professional judgment in the performance of their
duties, and presupposes the concepts of knowledge and competence as well as an ability to
engage in decision-making. (Mannella and Pilgrim, 2017). Just as it is necessary that nurses
have autonomy in the performance of their duties, they must also recognize a patient’s
autonomy and respect their healthcare decisions that are based upon accurate, complete and
truthful information. (Bhanji, 2013).
, Week 2: Role of Ethics Within Leadership 2
The Role of Ethics Within Leadership
According to the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics (2015), the difference
between morals and ethics is a matter of science. While morality commonly refers to an
individual’s personal character, beliefs, values and conduct within a community, ethics is the
formal study of morality and is considered a branch of philosophy or theology as a matter of
theory. (ANA, 2015). In nursing, there are several ethical principles that guide nursing practice,
including autonomy, beneficence, fidelity, justice, nonmaleficence, paternalism and respect.
While there are a number of ethical theories that are applicable to nursing, Cammie Derr (2012)
noted that there are two types of leadership styles that involve implementation of these ethical
theories: transformational leadership and transactional leadership. In her article Ethics and
Leadership, Derr set forth the simple principle that ethical leaders promote ethical employees.
(Derr, 2012). This paper will identify how two of the ethical principles of nursing, specifically
justice and autonomy, directly affect and can be applied to leadership in the field of nursing.
Explanation and Application of Ethical Principles to Leadership
The notion of justice as applied to nursing ethics simply means that all individuals are
equally entitled to care. The ANA notes that health is considered by the nursing profession to
be a “fundamental universal human right.” (ANA, 2015, p. 47). Principles of justice in the
healthcare industry note that individuals have equal rights both when seeking healthcare and in
participating in healthcare decisions. (Bhanji, 2013). The principle of autonomy in nursing
dovetails with the principle of justice, describing the notion that nurses have the right to apply
their professional knowledge and exercise professional judgment in the performance of their
duties, and presupposes the concepts of knowledge and competence as well as an ability to
engage in decision-making. (Mannella and Pilgrim, 2017). Just as it is necessary that nurses
have autonomy in the performance of their duties, they must also recognize a patient’s
autonomy and respect their healthcare decisions that are based upon accurate, complete and
truthful information. (Bhanji, 2013).
