Assumptions

  As a nurse, I feel that it is my role to uphold my own personal ethical standards as well as the ethical principles of the facility I work in. It is important to me that I treat my patients ethically, and use the best practices supported by research and evidenced based practice to treat them. This way, my patient’s will always receive the best care possible without violating my own moral standards or the ethical principles of the facility. If I feel that a patient treatment or procedure is unethical, it’s also my job to notify my supervisor that I cannot complete the procedure or treatment.

As a nurse, I will have to opportunity to participate in the implementation of evidence-based practice and research. I feel that is my responsibility to ensure that whatever research or evidence-based practices that are used to benefit patients are safe and in their best interest. If patients are involved in a research study I am participating in, it’s also my job to make sure they are not harmed physically or psychosocially by the study. If a practice is being considered or is being used in my facility that is unethical or unsafe, it’s my responsibility as the nurse to bring this up with my supervisor to keep all patients safe. On the other hand, if a practice is outdated or ineffective for a patient, I feel that it’s my ethical duty to promote a better practice for use in my facility.