Ethical & Legal Nursing
civil laws - protected individual rights
client & family - the responsibility of decision making rest on .....................
code of ethics - set of principles that all members of the profession generally accept
common law - created by judicial decisions: ex: informed consent
confidentiality - keeping things private; protected by HIPPAA; part of nursing code of ethics
controlled substances - kept locked and accounted for; authorized personnel only have keys
criminal law - prevents harm to society and provides punishment for crimes
Duty, breach, cause, & harm - need all of these things for it to be considered malpractice
EMTALA - law that prevents patient dumping or refusal
ethical committees - usually made up of SW, clergy, RN, MD, RT & administrators
ethical delimma - when the right thing to do is not clear or when healthcare team members
cannot agree on what to do (occur when values conflict each other)
ethics - study of conduct and character that is concerned with what is good & valuable
, accountability - ability to answer for ones own actions (for self, client, your profession, society,
& employer)
ADA - protects the rights of the disabled
advance directives - documents that state choices about medical treatment or name someone
who is to make those decisions for your medical treatment if you are not able to do so; must be
signed in advance
advocacy - providing for the safety, health, & rights of the patient
ANA - professional organization that develops standards for nursing practice (general and
specialties)
assault - intentional threat to bring harm or offensive contact
autonomy - refers to a persons independence; ex: surgical consents
battery - intentional touching without consent
beneficence - refers to taking positive/active steps to help someone; always having their best
interest in mind
civil laws - protected individual rights
client & family - the responsibility of decision making rest on .....................
code of ethics - set of principles that all members of the profession generally accept
common law - created by judicial decisions: ex: informed consent
confidentiality - keeping things private; protected by HIPPAA; part of nursing code of ethics
controlled substances - kept locked and accounted for; authorized personnel only have keys
criminal law - prevents harm to society and provides punishment for crimes
Duty, breach, cause, & harm - need all of these things for it to be considered malpractice
EMTALA - law that prevents patient dumping or refusal
ethical committees - usually made up of SW, clergy, RN, MD, RT & administrators
ethical delimma - when the right thing to do is not clear or when healthcare team members
cannot agree on what to do (occur when values conflict each other)
ethics - study of conduct and character that is concerned with what is good & valuable
, accountability - ability to answer for ones own actions (for self, client, your profession, society,
& employer)
ADA - protects the rights of the disabled
advance directives - documents that state choices about medical treatment or name someone
who is to make those decisions for your medical treatment if you are not able to do so; must be
signed in advance
advocacy - providing for the safety, health, & rights of the patient
ANA - professional organization that develops standards for nursing practice (general and
specialties)
assault - intentional threat to bring harm or offensive contact
autonomy - refers to a persons independence; ex: surgical consents
battery - intentional touching without consent
beneficence - refers to taking positive/active steps to help someone; always having their best
interest in mind
