Nursing Collegial Ethics

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Why does Nursing eat its young, respond with vehemence and hostility to colleages, disrespect the common rules of courtesy, openly and even in front of patients and their families challenge Nursing judgement, supervisors and managers openly criticizing and berating staff, nurses in other specialty areas seeking to seperate themselves from the rest of the profession with jargon, different uniforms, hostile attitudes, gossip, berating statments, character assassination, professional and social isolation and even name calling? Why do nuses refuse to help each other and share information and scoff at or reject out-of-hand new ideas and offerings? Why so much bitterness? Can we blame everything on administration? How can they treat us with dignity if we do not do so for ourselves?

I believe these behaviors to be among the top reasons why nurses leave nursing.

We all know the profession is terribly tough, many times exhausting and frustrating, frightening and confusing, difficult on families, health and even the very soul.

I cannot blame physicians and other colleagues, when seeing this behavior, follow in kind by not showing respect for the nurse. They may think: "They don't show each other any respect. So, why should we?" And our newer colleagues who learn from us may simply say that this is the way nurses should act towards each other. Patients see it also and so do their families thus giving them some tacit license to treat us likewise. No wonder it is so bad.

A small number of colleagues with whom I have worked have decided to uphold a professional ethical collegial behavior. I consider myself one of them. I admire them and their behavior makes me trust them. The whole situation is so much more humane and the work goes much better. It also helps us maintain our pride in behavior, dress, physical comport and the patients and phyicians respond by treating us with greater respect. Even the techs and CNAs show us greater respect and tend to copy us. They know they are part of a truly professional clinical team, in action as well as words. It all keeps standards very high indeed.

At the end of a shift I walk out with my head held high and with feeling of great self-confidence. I feel taller and more graceful. I am in a righteous profession and feel great about it.

I have developed a "Code For Professional and Collegial Ethics" based upon the ones which physicians, dentists, lawyers, radio talk show hosts and even journied professions have. And, for those of you who are interested, I'd like to share it. I also have an unfininished colloquial paper, but will not share it at this time.

I'd appreciate collegial feedback so that I have some affirmation, or even some fresh ideas with which to improve this dolcument.

If you do copy it and share it I will ask you include my copyright since I am primarily responsible for it.

Many thanks to responding colleagues.

Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

I think your "Code For Professional and Collegial Ethics" is a GREAT idea! I PM'd you with my email address--please send me a copy to share with my colleagues and students.:cool:

Dear Vicky,

Thank you for the request. As is my policy, I only send copies of this to colleagues who wish to use them as part of their scheduled classes, or for them to peruse and critique. I only mail them signed and under the conditions agreed to. Since I am responsible for all content I copyright them, even in draft form, which this document is, and my drafted colloquial paper, which I will not send until it is presented and critqued by attending colleagues.

Please state how you wish to use the "Draft Of A Code For Nurses' Collegial Ethics" and I will reply as soon a possible.

I am delighted with your interest.

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