Saunders Ethical and Legal Issues Nclex

A. Description: The branch of philosophy concerned with the distinction between right and wrong on the basis of a body of knowledge, not only on the basis of opinions B.Morals: Behavior in accordance with customs or tradition, usually reflecting personal or religious beliefs C. Ethical principles: Codes that direct or govern nursing actions (Box 6-1) D. Values: Beliefs and attitudes that may influence behavior and the process of decision making E.Values clarification: Process of analyzing one’s own values to understand oneself more completely regarding what is truly important F. Ethical codes 1. Ethical codes provide broad principles for determining and evaluating client care. 2. These codes are not legally binding, but the board of nursing has authority in most states to reprimand nurses for unprofessional conduct that results from violation of the ethical codes. 3. Specific ethical codes are as follows: a. The Code of Ethics for Nurses developed by the International Council of Nurses; Web site: b. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics can be viewed on the American Nurses Association; Web site: