The nine provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics cover a range of ethical principles:
Respect for Human Dignity: Nurses practice with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity of every person.
Commitment to the Patient: The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community.
Advocacy and Protection: Nurses advocate for and protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient.
Accountability and Responsibility: Nurses are accountable for their practice and must take responsibility for nursing judgments and actions.
Self-Integrity and Growth: Nurses owe the same duties to themselves as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.
Ethical Environment: Nurses establish, maintain, and improve the ethical environment of the workplace and quality of care.
Advancement of the Profession: Nurses contribute to the advancement of the profession through research and scholarly inquiry, professional standards development, and the generation of both nursing and health policy.
Collaboration: Nurses collaborate with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.
Social Justice: Nurses must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.
