
Because nurses work in challenging conditions confronting life and death situations, the nursing code of ethics establishes standards that help them provide the best quality patient care with compassion, respect, and accountability.
The most recently revised version of the Code of Ethics for Nurses developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) establishes these ethical standards for nursing professionals.
The code compels nurses to make decisions that protect the rights and safety of their patients independent of personal bias or conflicts of interest. The nursing code of ethics serves as a foundational, non-negotiable guide for nurses to use when analyzing situations and making ethical decisions in the best interests of their patients.
9 Provisions in the Nursing Code of Ethics
The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses consists of nine provisions and support statements. The provisions assert the ethical and moral foundation of the nursing profession.
- Provision 1: The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.
- Provision 2: The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, community, or population.
- Provision 3: The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.
- Provision 4: The nurse has authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing practice; makes decisions; and takes action consistent with the obligation to promote health and to provide optimal care.
- Provision 5: The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.
- Provision 6: The nurse, through individual and collective effort, establishes, maintains, and improves the ethical environment of the work setting and conditions of employment that support safe, quality healthcare.
- Provision 7: The nurse, in all roles and settings, advances the profession through research and scholarly inquiry, professional standards development, and the initiation of both nursing and health policy.
- Provision 8: The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.
- Provision 9: The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.
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How to Become an Ethical Nurse
Becoming a registered nurse (RN) requires at least a nursing diploma or two-year associate degree in nursing (ADN), although an increasing number of employers require a four-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN).
Ethics training has become an important part of nursing education, providing the skills needed for ethically guided decision-making that aligns with the nursing code of ethics.
Steps to Become a Registered Nurse
Related Resources
Your RN Degree 7 Essential Tips for Nurses in Their First Year
Reviewed by:

Nicole Galan, RN, MSN
Nicole Galan, RN, MSN, is a registered nurse who earned a master’s degree in nursing education from Capella University and currently works as a full-time freelance writer. Throughout her nursing career, Galan worked in a general medical/surgical care unit and then in infertility care. She has also worked for over 13 years as a freelance writer specializing in consumer health sites and educational materials for nursing students.
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