Analyzing Ethical and Professional Breaches in Nursing Facebook Posts

This essay analyzes ethical and professional breaches in nursing, focusing on scenarios presented in Facebook posts by senior nursing students. The assignment addresses a breach of the ICN Code of Ethics, specifically exploring how disparaging comments about patients, healthcare staff, and facilities violate fundamental principles. The essay delves into specific instances of inappropriate posts, referencing the ICN Code of Ethics and the NMBA Code of Conduct to identify violations of patient dignity, confidentiality, and professional conduct. It examines breaches related to disrespectful comments, the sharing of sensitive patient information, and the failure to maintain a harmonious and ethical work environment. The essay utilizes peer-reviewed research to support its arguments, highlighting the importance of ethical behavior and adherence to professional standards within the nursing profession, emphasizing the consequences of such breaches on the healthcare environment and patient care.

Running head: LAWS AND ETHICS FOR NURSING
Laws and Ethics for Nursing
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1LAWS AND ETHICS FOR NURSING
The ICN codes of nursing rules have set out a series of laws and ethics related to the
profession which, the nurses and midwives must follow as a code of conduct. The nurses are
expected to follow the standard rules that would increase their worth towards their works. The
NMBA or the nursing and midwifery board of Australia has set down different regulations and
practices that promotes healthy and ethical practices of nurses (Epstein & Turner, 2015). This
essay explores a study on the ethics attached to the profession and the breach of the laws in some
cases that can bring in substantial problems in the entire medical world. It also aims to explore
some of the ICN codes of nurse that have been breached by the nurses by posting comments
inappropriately providing the details of the patients.
In respect to the conduct, a person was found to post an inappropriate status which broke
the ICN code of ethics (Kalaitzidis & Jewell, 2015). In that post, the patient was objectified and
derogatory comments were made in order to derive fun. Moreover, the post was absolutely of
bad test as it was posted describing the disease from which the patient was suffering. According
to the ICN code of ethics (1. Nurses and people), the individual should be charged on the
grounds of Provision 1 (1.1) where a nurse if supposed to have respect for human dignity. The
relationship with patients act was also breached (1.2) and made derogatory comments which was
not supposed to be done on the part of a professional nurse. Along with that, the ICN code of
ethics also expects a nurse to respectful and compassionate towards patient which the particular
individual failed to achieve (Wilson et al., 2019). According to the provision 3, that person also
failed to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the patient. A standard behavior and conduct
is expected of every nursing professionals due to which the NMBA code of ethics came into
existence for acknowledging their duty. The senior nurse was unprofessional in mentioning the
disabilities and discussing on a public forum. The post was also presented in a derogatory

2LAWS AND ETHICS FOR NURSING
manner that proves insensitiveness and callousness that is contradictory to the profession the
person is in (4.1 – i). That person is also accountable to the medical authority in response to the
conduct that had been done. The health care facility should also investigate on the seriousness of
the matter and take charge on the matter accordingly (Lane et al., 2017).
In another scenario, a person was found to post a status mentioning the roles of her
colleagues in the workplace. The comment also alleged that the nurses were often indulging in
unprofessional ways that include spending more time in nurse’s station rather than attending the
patients. Moreover, his posts also exposed the unhealthy atmosphere of the place as most of the
times, they make delays in changing sheets or changing the urine bottles of the patient. On
investigation it was found that the allegation was false and he did that intentionally to undermine
some his colleagues. The post contained sensitive information related to the health care service
which do not follow the ICN code of conduct 1 which states that the nurse should show
professional values and integrity. The person has breached the code which stated a harmonious
association with other co-workers (Daly, Speedy & Jackson, 2017). The post also had ethical
issues which derogates the image of the health care organization along with the other staffs. This
particular move has also called in the breach of provision 2 that states the conflict of interest for
nurses, crossing of professional behavior and the impeding the collaboration with other nurses.
The NMBA code of conduct (4.2) restricts the nurses to misrepresent the state of the health
organization (Johnstone, 2016). It also does not tolerates the act of dishonesty that maligns the
reputation of the institution. The false statement with which other staffs were charged break the
maintenance of professional standard mentioned 4.1 of the NMBA conduct code where he
advertised against the interest of the health organization and failed to comply with the Australian
legislation (Mannix, Wilkes & Daly, 2015).

3LAWS AND ETHICS FOR NURSING
On another instance, a post of another senior nurse was found to be disparaging as the
content mentions certain incidents that is related to health facility of the organization. Firstly, it
contained information that is sensitive to the organization where the person has been working.
Secondly, the remarks in that post disclose some rather callous comments on the health facility
that can be regarded as aggression towards the health facility. According to the ICN code of
ethics, nurses are not allowed to be disrespectful towards her profession. The first code of Nurses
and people says that the professionals are expected to show professionalism, trustworthiness and
integrity to the patients as well as the organization (Pickles, Lacey & King, 2019). The post
failed to maintain an atmosphere of trust and commented insensitively on the health care system
that can have far reaching consequences. The person has also commented on the fact unethically
and irresponsibly in a public platform that has time and again proved to be maligning and
derogatory in nature in respect to the goodwill of the organization. The NMBA code of conduct
as mentioned in 3.2 does not support the unethical views of the nurses (Johnstone & Facn, 2019).
It has broken the “culturally safe and respectful practice” where the latter part is applicable to her
conduct. According to this code, a nurse should create an inclusive atmosphere which would
promote a positivity around and belittling someone on the basis of races, colors and other
practices should not be followed.
The ICN code of conducts has been breached by nurses at other instances apart from
Facebook comments that breaks the guidelines mentioned in ICN and the NMBA code of
conduct (Ingham-Broomfield, 2017). For instance, the nurses are not supposed to judge any
patient on the basis of racial or religious grounds. However, in a recent event, a nurse was found
to deny service to a person from a different religion. As it can be seen clearly that the individual
has breached the ICN code by being inconsiderate of the patient. It is also regarded as an

4LAWS AND ETHICS FOR NURSING
inhumane conduct that disregards the human values. The NMBA code of conduct has also been
broken solely on the grounds of culturally unsafe practices that is not expected of a nurse who is
supposed to treat the patient with utmost care and responsibility (Kangasniemi, Pakkanen &
Korhonen, 2015). Similar to this event, another nurse faced a charge against sexual advances
toward a female patient. As much as this conduct is illegal and unethical, it also breach the
workplace bullying policy (Cowin et al., 2019). Therefore, this misconduct can bring severe
punishments and even cause the person to lose his job. Apart from these issues, the code of
conducts acknowledges the appropriate behavior that promotes a harmonious atmosphere in the
workplace. Since, nursing is related to the service of humankind, the experts working here
should have a humanitarian and respectful behavior towards the patient that would do justice to
the profession (Schick-Makaroff & Storch, 2019). Otherwise, it would considered as an
unscrupulous and demoralized conduct considering the gravity of the situation. Therefore, the
nurses, clinicians and other professionals associated with this industry should follow the code of
conduct.
The ICN and NMBA code of conducts are specifically founded to acknowledge the
expected behaviors of nurses considering the importance of the service it provides. The above
mentioned case studies provide a glimpse to the misconducts of nurses in the online forum which
has serious implications due to its wide reach. The ethics, integrity and social justice is
safeguarded by these laws which also protects the interest of the medical community as well as
the patients. The nurses should also indulge themselves in welfare activities that would help the
community foster. Their conduct should reflect professional integrity backed up by
humanitarian service towards the patients. The decision making skill and her shared
responsibilities towards treating a person should always be the primary task of a nurse. Since,

5LAWS AND ETHICS FOR NURSING
different people have different perspective, the way of looking at things could be different.
However, the code of conduct lays down the importance of having a professional approach that
should be followed by everyone related to the nursing industry. Hence, the nurses and the
clinicians are expected to abide by the rules for providing a better service to the sufferer.

6LAWS AND ETHICS FOR NURSING
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