What are the ethical codes of conduct and ethical issues for a nurse practitioner

Ethics for Nurse Practitioners
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 What are the Ethical Codes of Conduct and Ethical Issues for a Nurse Practitioner?
The principles of morality governing social behavior and conduct are known as ethics. These codes of conduct vary depending on associated risks in a profession. In medicine, they are essential in averting conflicts and clearing confusion. Nurse practitioners (NP) are tasked with caring for individuals in their time of need. Their mode of operation is usually more advanced than that for Registered Nurses. Unlike their colleagues in the nursing field, NPs can actually order tests, diagnose, and even develop a treatment plan (Chadwick& Gallagher, 2016). As such, there is a need for compliance with ethical responsibilities. This paper explores some of the ethical issues in their field.
Commitment to Patients
In healthcare, all practitioners are required to be fully dedicated to the cause. Their everyday actions have a direct impact on another’s life. An NP is required to ensure decisions made are in the best care of the patient. Working late, working night shifts and even working during holidays are but some of the indicators of commitment. This is despite their personal affairs. For instance, they may wish to spend quality time with their family. However, the busy schedules and critical conditions of the patients will stop them. At the most basic, an NP is an advocate for the well-being of the patients regardless of the social standing of the patient, criminal or not (Chadwick& Gallagher, 2016).

Such develops due to an awareness of the existing hurdles and working towards overcoming them.
Professional Competence
There are standards meant to be fully integrated into the practice. Violation results in revocation of licenses. There exists, however, an ethical dilemma in an NP’s responsibility when they perceive incompetence in their peers. Reporting such may present them as being overly competitive, though they have a responsibility for a patient. In addition, they have a social responsibility of spreading health information through community outreaches and civic activities (Chadwick& Gallagher, 2016). This raises the additional issue of how much to offer and for how long. It is because most of these are voluntary yet need remuneration for sustenance. Again, in their practice, there are usually doubts cast to their attempts at autonomous practices. Though professionally trained, there are biased perceptions of the quality of care they offer.
Disclosing Medical Conditions
There are situations requiring a nurse practitioner to inform a patient or relative the worst of news regarding their medical condition. In such a case, the NP needs to skillfully divulge such information as its reception may have unforeseen emotional wounds. This requires finding a balance between a patient’s right to information and impact of the truth. Principles of fidelity and nonmaleficence obligate them to prevent harm and maintain faithfulness (Chadwick& Gallagher, 2016). This means that their actions should neither jeopardize a patient’s health nor raise unnecessary legal concerns.

Reference
Chadwick, R., & Gallagher, A. (2016). Ethics and nursing practice. Palgrave Macmillan.