Fundamentals of Nursing Q 527
Ethical principles for professional nursing practice in a clinical setting are guided by the principles of conduct that are written as the:
A. American Nurses Association’s (ANA’s) Code of Ethics
B. Nurse Practice Act (NPA) written by state legislation
C. Standards of care from experts in the practice field
D. Good Samaritan laws for civil guidelines
Correct Answer: A. American Nurses Association’s (ANA’s) Code of Ethics
This set of ethical principles provides the professional guidelines established by the ANA to maintain the highest standards for ideal conduct in practice. As a profession, the ANA wanted to establish rules and then incorporate guidelines for accountability and responsibility of each nurse within the practice setting.
Option B: Every state and territory in the US sets laws to govern the practice of nursing. These laws are defined in the Nursing Practice Act (NPA). The NPA is then interpreted into regulations by each state and territorial nursing board with the authority to regulate the practice of nursing care and the power to enforce the laws. Fifty states, the District of Columbia and 4 United States (US) territories, have state boards of nursing (BON) that are responsible for regulating their individual NPA.
Option C: Professional standards describe the competent level of care in each phase of the nursing process. They reflect a desired and achievable level of performance against which a nurse’s actual performance can be compared. The main purpose of professional standards is to direct and maintain a safe and clinically competent nursing practice.
Option D: Good Samaritan laws have their basis on the idea that consensus agreement favors good “public policy” to limit liability for those who voluntarily perform care and rescue in emergency situations. It is well known that medical emergencies outside of the umbrella “medical setting” or “clinical environment” are common.