The need for nursing is universal. Inherent in nursing is respect for life, dignity and rights of man.
Nursing should not be restricted by considerations of nationality, race, color, age, sex, politics, social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.
The fundamental responsibility of the nurse is four-fold:
- to promote health,
- to prevent illness,
- to restore health,
- to alleviate suffering.
Dignity: nurses value and advocate the self-respect of human beings.
Responsibility refers to the execution of duties associated with a nurse´s particular role. By agreeing to responsibility, the nurse gain trust from clients, colleagues and society.
Confidentiality: the nurse is a lifeguard of client´s right to privacy, by holding in confidence personal information.
Judgment is the ability of the nurse to form an opinion, draw conclusions. Nurse will use judgement in sharing information learned in the context of a professional relationship. The nurse will share this outside the health team only with the client´s permission or as legally required.
Competence refers to a specific range of skills necessary to perform nurse tasks. The competence regulations vary from country to country.
Fairness: the nurses apply and promote principles of equity and fairness to assist client in receiving treatment and a share of health services and resources proportionate to their needs.
Advocacy involves giving clients the information they need to make decisions and then supporting those decisions. It also involves that nurses will strive to understand a client´s point of view.
Accountability refers to the ability to answer for ones´s actions. A nurse is accountable to self most of all. The nurse also must balance accountability to the client the profession, the employing institution and society.
Choice: nurses respect and promote the autonomy of clients.
Nonmaleficence: nurse will avoid to do no harm. Nurse will seek to do the least harm if benefits must results in some harm during performance of nursing actions.
The nurse, when acting in a professional capacity should at all times maintain standards of personal conduct which reflect credit upon the profession.
