Nursing is more than just a profession—it’s a calling rooted in compassion, advocacy, and unwavering integrity. At the heart of this calling lies the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, a vital guide that helps nurses navigate the complex challenges of modern healthcare while remaining grounded in the values that define the profession.
In this blog post, we’ll explore what the ANA Code of Ethics is, why it matters, and how it shapes everyday nursing practice across the United States.
The Nursing Code of Ethics and Why It Matters in Everyday Practice
The Nursing Code of Ethics is a foundational document developed by the American Nurses Association to outline the ethical obligations and duties of every nurse. It provides a framework for ethical decision-making and sets clear expectations for how nurses should interact with patients, families, colleagues, and society.
The Code isn't just a set of lofty ideals; it’s a practical guide that informs daily decisions, especially when nurses face ethical dilemmas. Whether it’s addressing a patient’s refusal of care, navigating life and death decisions, or raising concerns about unsafe practices, the Code empowers nurses to act with confidence and integrity.
It also provides legal and professional protection, serving as a standard against which nurses’ actions may be judged in legal or disciplinary settings.
The Code of Ethics for Nurses
The American Nurses Association revised the Code of Ethics in 2025, expanding it from 9 to 10 provisions. Each provision serves as a foundational guideline, helping nurses uphold the highest standards of ethical practice. Here’s a simplified overview of what each principle represents:
Provision 1: The nurse practises with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.
Provision 2: A nurse’s primary commitment is to the recipient(s) of nursing care, whether an individual, family, group, community, or population.
Provision 3: The nurse establishes a trusting relationship and advocates for the rights, health, and safety of recipient(s) of nursing care.
Provision 4: Nurses have authority over nursing practice and are responsible and accountable for their practice consistent with their obligations to promote health, prevent illness, and provide optimal care.
Provision 5: The nurse has moral duties to self as a person of inherent dignity and worth, including an expectation of a safe place to work that fosters flourishing, authenticity of self at work, and self-respect through integrity and professional competence.
Provision 6: Nurses, through individual and collective effort, establish, maintain, and improve the ethical environment of the work setting that affects nursing care and the well-being of nurses.
Provision 7: Nurses advance the profession through multiple approaches to knowledge development, professional standards, and the generation of policies for nursing, health, and social concerns.
Provision 8: Nurses build collaborative relationships and networks with nurses, other healthcare and non-healthcare disciplines, and the public to achieve greater ends.
Provision 9: Nurses and their professional organizations work to enact and resource practices, policies, and legislation to promote social justice, eliminate health inequities, and facilitate human flourishing.
Provision 10: Nursing, through organizations and associations, participates in the global nursing and health community to promote human and environmental health, well-being, and flourishing.
How Nurses Can Uphold the Code
- Stay informed: Read and understand all ten provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics.
- Continue education: Engage in ethics training, workshops, and reflective practice.
- Speak up: Advocate for ethical care—even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular.
- Support colleagues: Foster an ethical workplace by encouraging open dialogue and supporting peers.
Final Thoughts
The ANA Code of Ethics is more than a document—it’s the moral compass of the nursing profession. In a fast-paced and often challenging healthcare environment, it reminds you of the power you hold to effect positive change and uphold the values of compassion, justice, and excellence in care. For new and seasoned nurses alike, living out these principles is what transforms nursing from a job into a deeply meaningful profession.
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