Running head: ETHICAL THEORIES IN NURSING PRACTICE

Ethical Theories in Nursing Practice

Kaytlyn Stephens
Dixie State University

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Introduction
As a patient, would you want a nurse to take care of you that lacked ethics? Ethics are
critical in the nursing field. Without ethics, nurses could do whatever they want, no matter the
effect on patient care. The nursing theories and principals are guidelines on what is expected
from you as a nurse. Nursing ethics apply to all fields within nursing. All ethical theories and
principles are important and work together. The theories and principles ones I will be focusing on
are Deontology and Beneficence and how it applies in nursing practice.
Ethical Theory
Deontology refers to action that are duty based, not based on their rewards, happiness or
consequences (Rich & Butts, 2009. P. 90). It is based on the knowledge of knowing right from
wrong. This is closely linked to the ethical principal beneficence. Deontology is an obligation or
duty of being a nurse. It is your duty as a nurse to know right from wrong. Restraints are a
controversial topic in the medical field. Using restraints is not an ethical practice. The restraints
can be physical or chemical. The use of chemical restraints can be narcotics, antianxiety,
antipsychotic and many more classes of medication that are used in an inappropriate way to
restrain the patient. The uses of these medications are important for treatment of different
diseases, but often can be overused on patients. A patient that takes antianxiety medication every
eight hours as needed, but has a nurse giving them every eight hours no matter the circumstance
is not demonstrating deontology. The patient may not always need the medication or the patient
could simply be asleep. Nurses should not force their patients to take as needed medication
simply to not be bothered, this lack ethics; specifically deontology. Physical restraints can be
used unethically as well; there are an increasing number of restraints used on the elderly who
may be confused. There also have been an increasing number of falls with the elderly related to

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the use of physical restraints (Mohr, 2010). As nurses it is important to know right from wrong
and making sure we use our sure we use are nursing judgement to make clinically correct
decisions.
Ethical Principal
Each ethical principal is critical to nursing but I think Beneficence is one of the most
important. Beneficence is doing no harm to your patients. Nurses are always taught to nurture
and care for patients, beneficence is just that. Nurses should never do anything that would harm
patients intentionally. In an article Counting as Caring, Chris Downey talked about the
importance of counting all the surgical sponges before and after a surgery was performed
(Downey, 2007). The author went on to write Perioperative nursing is a specialty devoted to
the ethical principle of beneficence (to do no harm). In order to maintain the safety of a
patient undergoing surgical intervention perioperative nurses have developed expert nursing care
practices regarding aseptic technique, patient positioning, and counting of sponges and
instruments (Downey, 2007). It is the important to do no harm to your patients. The nurses in
the study were very careful during the surgery to make sure no harm came upon the patient in a
careless manner. It is important to count everything after a surgery so that nothing could be left
in the patient. All aspects of nursing relate to ethical principles. By following these principles
nurses can provide the safest and best care for all patients. Nurses are known for their caring
attitude, by practicing beneficence you can provide quality care for all your patients.
Confidentiality and Ethical Principles
Confidentiality is very important in the health care field. Autonomy is linked with
respect for an individuals free will and includes the right to make choices about issues affecting

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one being (Andrews & Boyle, 2012). It is important to keep patients information as confidential
as possible. It is possible for confidentiality to be broken and so is a persons autonomy. When
people are diagnosed with certain STDs, the CDC needs to be alerted about it; even if the patient
requests confidentiality. This procedure is important because, the CDC can track how many
different STDs occur and where they occur. However, difficult cases in which physicians
contemplate exceptions to confidentialityPrime examples of lifting medical confidentially are
mental disease and HIV/AIDS (Sfken & Frewer. 2007. p. 313.). When a person is diagnosed
with an STD it is usual to contact your partner or partners so that they can come and get
treatment. Even if a person does not want others to know about their medical information, it
important that others are notified that could possibly have been affected by the disease.
Conclusion
Ethical theories and ethical principles are guideline on how you should act as a nurse and
in the health care field. All the different theories and principles are important, but knowing and
using deontology and beneficence will help nurses be successful in their careers. It is important
to know right from wrong and do no harm. By counting the sponges in the operating room or by
not using chemical and physical restraints you can choose to provide ethical care, there are an
abundant about of ways for nurses to practice deontology and beneficence. Nurses are known to
be one of the most ethical and caring careers in the world. As nurses we need to support that
statement and provide ethically sound care for every patient we come in contact with.

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References
Andrews, M., & Boyle, J. (2012). Transcultural concepts in nursing care (6th ed.).
Philadelphia:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Downey, C. (2007). COUNTING AS CARING. Canadian Operating Room Nursing
Journal, 25(3), 6-8, 10-1, 13. Retrieved from:
http://search.proquest.com/docview/274594652?accountid=27045
Mohr, W. K. (2010). Restraints and the code of ethics: An uneasy fit. Archives of Psychiatric
Nursing, 24(1), 3. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/200907860?
accountid=27045
Rich, K. & Butts, J.B. (2009). Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice (2nd ed).
Foundations of Ethical Nursing Practice (pp.85-91). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett
Publications
Sfken, C & Frewer, F. (2007). The Duty to warn and clinical ethics: Legal and Ethical Aspects
of Confidentiality and HIV/AIDS. 19(4). pp. 313-326. DOI 10.1007/s10730-007-9051-4