Okay, so I am going to be completely honest with you when I say the Nurses Code of Ethics is not an exciting or interesting read. It is very long and can be quite boring at times, but it is important to know if you are going to be entering this field of work. This is why I chose to pick out a small part, also known as provision one.
Provision one outlines the importance of patient relationships and co-worker relationships. As a certified nursing assistant, I was taught patient care must be safe and efficient. Whatever happens, you must maintain your self control. At times you will feel like you are going insane that you just have to let it out. This is normal, it’s okay! Just make sure you go to a quiet, secluded place to take a few moments to let it all out.
Unfortunately, there will be times to where you are verbally attacked, kicked, slapped, pushed or even spitted on. Our initial reaction is to immediately take action and defend ourselves by fighting back. As much as you may want to give it back to them, you can’t.
As nurses we are supposed to represent strong characters. We are constantly put to the test on our morals. For example, we face death quite often, it’s part of life. Unfortunately, some deaths are tougher than others. Over the course of holding my licence, I’ve witnessed some terrible judgement calls. For the sake of confidentiality, I will call this patient John Doe. John Doe’s family barely comes in to see him. He starts to decline quickly, all of a sudden the family is in there demanding this and that. John’s daughter/son wants the doctor to d/c, or decrease, certain pain medications. Well, as a nurse that takes care of him quite frequently we know that’s a bad idea, because we have seen him in pain and how that medication helps. So anyway, you can’t tell them that, so you are faced to let the doctor know what he/she wants. That’s not all though, you must chose your words carefully to ensure you would not offend that family member in any way. The choice is not up to you, it’s up to the family and doctor.
Nursing isn’t easy, but I think it is a rewarding job in the end if you know and love what you are doing.
The Power of Nursing 