A nursing student is skeptical about the concept of professional ethics even being possible, much less a requirement for professional practice. Which statement by this student best justifies this belief?
a. "A group cannot determine what is right in each specific situation."
b. "Each nurse should be smart enough to determine solutions to issues."
c. "Ethics are too personal to be dictated by a professional organization."
d. "There are too many gray areas for any code of ethics to be universally right."
D
"There are too many gray areas for any code of ethics to be universally right" is an understandable statement. Situational variables are innumerable and unique, and they complicate every situation. There are usually no strict right or wrong answers.
A professional code of ethics does not seek to determine correct solutions to every situation but rather attempts to define the ethics that should guide decision making.
The use of ethics is not related to intelligence but rather gives nurses a framework in which to analysis situations.
A requirement of a profession is a code of ethics to guide behavior. The goal is not to dictate to nurses what to do in every situation but to provide guidance for decision making an action in difficult situations.
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1. Federal Supreme Court 2. Federal district court 3. State supreme court 4. State trial court
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