ETHICS AND LEGAL ISSUES IN NURSING (6HR)

Course overview

The target audience for this education program is nurses who wish to learn more about the ethical and legal issues that affect nursing practice. Nurses have faced legal and ethical dilemmas for many years. It is the obligation of each nurse to practice within the scope and standards of practice as established by NPAs and within ethical codes of conduct. The best interest of the patient is every nurse’s primary goal and responsibility. Legal issues in nursing are often controlled at the state level. Ethical issues on the other hand are not so clear and are less defined. This course focuses on many of the ethical issues facing nurses every day as well as legal considerations that may frame the ethical issues of patient care. Learning Objectives: 1.Describe how nursing scope of practice and standards of professional nursing practice govern nursing. 2.Explain how state nurse practice acts define and describe nursing practice. 3.Describe how the act of delegation is encompassed in the nurse practice act. 4.Correlate nursing professional boundaries with appropriate nursing practice. 5.Discuss legal implications of nursing practice. 6.Explain how codes of professional ethics impact nursing practice. Nurses have faced legal and ethical dilemmas for many years. It is the obligation of each nurse to practice within the scope and standards of practice as established by NPAs and within ethical codes of conduct. Finally, the best interest of the patient is every nurse’s primary goal and responsibility.