Ethics in Nursing

Course Purpose

Apply current nursing ethics codes, structured reasoning, informed consent standards, advocacy practices, and professional accountability to common clinical dilemmas.

Continuing Education Credit Designation

This educational activity is credited for 10 contact hours at completion of the activity.

Overview

This course prepares RNs and LPNs to recognize ethical concerns, distinguish them from legal or clinical questions, and use a structured process to make and document defensible decisions. Learners examine autonomy, informed consent, confidentiality, equity, delegation, moral distress, research ethics, and conflicts of interest. After completing the course, the nurse will be able to apply the current American and international nursing ethics codes to patient care, communicate concerns through appropriate channels, protect patient rights and safety, and participate effectively in ethics consultation and organizational improvement.

Objectives

Upon completion of this independent study, the learner will be able to:

1. Differentiate ethical principles, ethical theories, professional duties, legal requirements, and personal values in clinical decision-making.
2. Apply a structured ethical decision-making process to patient care conflicts involving autonomy, capacity, safety, confidentiality, and resource allocation.
3. Analyze clinical cases using Provisions 1 through 9 of the current American Nurses Association Code of Ethics and recognize the global responsibilities addressed by Provision 10.
4. Implement nursing actions that support informed consent, privacy, equitable care, appropriate delegation, advocacy, and patient safety.
5. Compare the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics with the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics for Nurses.
6. Document, communicate, and escalate unresolved ethical concerns through the appropriate clinical and organizational channels.

Who this course is for:

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, and other healthcare providers in any setting who want continuing education on Ethics in Nursing.

Course outline

17 sections · finish in any order across devices

1. 1

   Introduction

2. 2

   Ethics

3. 3

   Ethical Terminology

4. 4

   History of the Nurses Code of Ethics

5. 5

   American Nurses Association Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements

6. 6

   Provision 1

7. 7

   Provision 2

8. 8

   Provision 3

9. 9

   Provision 4

10. 10

    Provision 5

11. 11

    Provision 6

12. 12

    Provision 7

13. 13

    Provision 8

14. 14

    Provision 9

15. 15

    International Council for Nurses: Code of Ethics for Nurses

16. 16

    Discussion

17. 17

    Conclusion

This Course Satisfies

Requirement summaries come from our state requirement records. All Users of Fast CE For Less’s website and content are responsible for knowing their state’s license and renewal requirements.

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