NSG 426 Week 5 Ethical Issues in Nursing

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University of Phoenix

NSG/426 Integrity in Practice: Ethics and Legal Considerations

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Date

Current Ethical Issues Nurses Encounter in Practice

Nurses Face Ethical Challenges Every Day

Nurses regularly encounter ethical dilemmas that require balancing professional responsibilities, patient rights, legal obligations, and personal values. Ethical decision-making helps nurses provide safe, fair, and compassionate care while maintaining professional integrity. As healthcare systems continue to evolve, understanding nursing ethics has become essential for delivering high-quality patient care.

Understanding Ethics in Nursing

Ethics refers to the moral principles that guide decisions about what is right or wrong. In nursing, ethics provides a framework for making difficult clinical decisions while protecting patient dignity, autonomy, justice, and safety.

Although every individual has personal beliefs and values, nurses must also follow professional ethical standards, evidence-based practice, and legal regulations. Ethical nursing practice requires healthcare professionals to evaluate complex situations objectively while prioritizing patient welfare.

According to Haddad (2019), nursing ethics helps healthcare professionals identify ethical dilemmas and make sound clinical decisions that align with both professional standards and legal requirements.

Why Ethics Matters in Nursing

Ethics is fundamental because nurses:

Protect patient rights and dignity.
Make informed clinical decisions.
Balance legal and professional responsibilities.
Promote fairness in healthcare.
Build trust between patients and healthcare providers.

The Ethical Decision-Making Process

Healthcare professionals frequently rely on an ethical decision-making model to analyze complex situations. This structured approach helps nurses make consistent and defensible decisions.

Steps in Ethical Decision-Making

The process generally includes:

Gather all relevant facts.
Identify the ethical issue.
Determine who is affected.
Evaluate possible outcomes.
Consider ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice.
Reflect on professional integrity and personal values.
Explore alternative solutions.
Make the most ethical decision and evaluate its consequences.

Velasquez et al. (2015) emphasize that ethical decision-making also involves self-reflection and professional judgment rather than relying solely on policies or emotions.

Healthcare as a Right vs. a Privilege: An Ethical Debate

One of the most debated ethical issues in healthcare is whether healthcare should be considered a fundamental human right or a privilege earned through employment or financial contribution.

Position 1: Healthcare Is a Privilege

Supporters of this viewpoint argue that the United States operates largely within a market-based healthcare system. They believe healthcare benefits should primarily be available to individuals who contribute financially through employment and taxes.

Supporting arguments include:

Expanding universal healthcare may increase healthcare costs.
The current insurance system is tied closely to employment.
Major structural reforms would be necessary before universal healthcare becomes financially sustainable.

Couronne (2017) notes that the existing U.S. healthcare system reflects market-based principles rather than universal healthcare access.

Position 2: Employment Should Determine Access

Another perspective argues that individuals who work and contribute to society should receive priority access to healthcare services. Proponents believe able-bodied adults who choose not to work should not receive the same benefits as taxpayers.

However, this position generally recognizes exceptions for:

Individuals with disabilities
Older adults
Low-income families
People facing financial hardship despite employment

Why Healthcare Should Be Considered a Right

Many healthcare professionals, including nurses, argue that healthcare is a basic human right rather than a privilege.

Ethical Reasons Supporting Universal Healthcare

Access to healthcare directly affects:

Life expectancy
Disease prevention
Quality of life
Public health outcomes
Health equity

When access depends primarily on income or employment, significant health disparities emerge. These disparities can disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, leading to preventable illness and poorer health outcomes.

Jones (2018) argues that recognizing healthcare as a right reflects society’s commitment to protecting human life and promoting equality.

Benefits of Universal Healthcare

Supporters of universal healthcare suggest it can:

Improve overall public health.
Reduce preventable diseases.
Increase access to preventive care.
Lower long-term healthcare costs through early intervention.
Promote social equity.

Hammonds et al. (2019) further argue that universal healthcare strengthens national health systems by advancing the right to health and improving population well-being.

Nursing Perspective on Healthcare Ethics

Nurses have an ethical responsibility to advocate for patients regardless of socioeconomic status. Professional nursing codes emphasize compassion, equity, and respect for every individual’s dignity.

From a nursing perspective, barriers to healthcare often create ethical conflicts because they prevent patients from receiving necessary treatment. Many nurses believe healthcare policies should prioritize patient well-being while reducing disparities in access and outcomes.

As patient advocates, nurses are expected to:

Support equitable healthcare access.
Protect vulnerable populations.
Promote evidence-based decision-making.
Uphold ethical and legal standards.
Encourage informed patient choices.

Key Ethical Principles in Nursing

The following ethical principles guide nursing practice:

Ethical Principle	Meaning
Autonomy	Respecting patients’ right to make informed decisions.
Beneficence	Acting in the patient’s best interest.
Non-maleficence	Avoiding harm whenever possible.
Justice	Ensuring fair and equal treatment.
Fidelity	Keeping professional commitments and maintaining trust.
Veracity	Providing honest and accurate information.

These principles serve as the foundation for ethical nursing practice across clinical settings.

Summary

What ethical issues do nurses commonly face?

Nurses frequently encounter ethical dilemmas involving patient autonomy, informed consent, resource allocation, end-of-life care, confidentiality, and equitable access to healthcare. Ethical decision-making frameworks help guide professional judgment while balancing legal and moral responsibilities.

Why is ethics important in nursing?

Ethics enables nurses to make fair, patient-centered decisions, protect patient rights, maintain professional integrity, and provide safe, compassionate care consistent with legal and professional standards.

Should healthcare be considered a right?

Many healthcare professionals argue that healthcare is a fundamental human right because equitable access improves public health, reduces disparities, and supports better long-term health outcomes. Others believe healthcare should remain linked to employment and financial contribution due to economic considerations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the most common ethical issues nurses face?

Common ethical challenges include patient confidentiality, informed consent, end-of-life decisions, allocation of limited resources, cultural differences, patient autonomy, and unequal access to healthcare.

Why is ethical decision-making important in nursing?

Ethical decision-making helps nurses deliver safe, equitable, and patient-centered care while complying with professional standards and legal requirements.

What ethical principles guide nursing practice?

The core principles are autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity.

Is healthcare a right or a privilege?

The issue remains widely debated. Advocates of healthcare as a right emphasize equity and improved public health, while supporters of healthcare as a privilege often focus on economic sustainability and individual financial contribution.

How do nurses advocate for ethical healthcare?

Nurses advocate by protecting patient rights, promoting equitable care, educating patients, supporting informed decision-making, and addressing healthcare disparities.

Conclusion

Ethical challenges are an unavoidable part of modern nursing practice. Nurses must balance personal values, professional responsibilities, legal obligations, and patient needs when making clinical decisions. Ethical decision-making frameworks provide a structured approach to resolving these dilemmas while promoting fairness, accountability, and patient-centered care.

The debate over whether healthcare is a right or a privilege reflects broader societal questions about justice, equity, and public responsibility. Regardless of differing viewpoints, nurses remain committed to advocating for patients and delivering compassionate, ethical care that supports the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

References

Couronne, I. (2017, May 31). In the US, health care a privilege, not a right. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/afp-in-the-us-health-care-a-privilege-not-a-right-2017-5

Haddad, L. M., & Geiger, R. A. (2019). Nursing ethical considerations. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526054/

Hammonds, R., Ooms, G., Mulumba, M., & Maleche, A. (2019). UHC2030’s contributions to global health governance that advance the right to health care: A preliminary assessment. Health and Human Rights Journal, 21(2), 243–252. https://www.hhrjournal.org/2019/12/uhc2030s-contributions-to-global-health-governance-that-advance-the-right-to-health-care-a-preliminary-assessment/

Jones, K. (2018, January 17). It’s time to recognize health care as a right. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/01/17/its-time-to-recognize-health-care-as-a-right/

Velasquez, M., Moberg, D. R., Meyer, M. J., Shanks, T., McLean, M., DeCosse, D., Andre, C., & Hanson, K. (2015). A framework for ethical decision making. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University. https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/a-framework-for-ethical-decision-making/