allnurses mentioned in AJN and it ain't flattering

Published

There was a mention of the lethal injection discussion in AJN. It was kind of an embarrassment; they discussed a posting where a few individuals expressed a great desire to take part in lethal injections. Too bad.

ADMIN NOTE: Here is the link to the AJN article for those of you interested in reading it:

http://cms.nursingcenter.com/dev/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=573335 Thanks - Brian

This does raise a point or two:

Moderators: I looked through the ToS and didn't see anything that talked specifically about quoting or use of posted content by media. Is there one? Should there be one?

Nurses: personal opinions about the death penalty aside (and *please* do leave them aside for now) if there's a Code of Ethics that says that nurses shouldn't participate in such things, then would you a) subscribe to that Code or b) willfully ignore it?

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As far as I know, the ANA code of ethics is not a required document for nurses to follow since we are not required to be members of ANA (and in fact the vast majority of nurses are not members). Don't state BONs have the role of determining what nurses should and should not do?

I'm against the death penalty, but if nurses have been participating in it for years without reprisal, that would seem to indicate that state BONs do not have a problem with it. The ANA is something I really consider irrelevant in general. I just don't see how they affect me or my practice.

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Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
This does raise a point or two:

Moderators: I looked through the ToS and didn't see anything that talked specifically about quoting or use of posted content by media. Is there one? Should there be one?

Nurses: personal opinions about the death penalty aside (and *please* do leave them aside for now) if there's a Code of Ethics that says that nurses shouldn't participate in such things, then would you a) subscribe to that Code or b) willfully ignore it?

If I swore an oath to follow a code of ethics, I would certainly do so. The bigger question is whether we are bound to follow a code of ethics if we haven't vowed to do so in the first place, isn't it?

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If I swore an oath to follow a code of ethics, I would certainly do so. The bigger question is whether we are bound to follow a code of ethics if we haven't vowed to do so in the first place, isn't it?

I suppose so. In general, it seems odd to me that there isn't a more powerful national representative body in nursing. It's exactly the sort of field that needs it. Oh well, another thing for me to learn.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
Nurses: personal opinions about the death penalty aside (and *please* do leave them aside for now) if there's a Code of Ethics that says that nurses shouldn't participate in such things, then would you a) subscribe to that Code or b) willfully ignore it?

I couldn't take a job involving killing someone, however heinous their crime may have been.

So as long as the Code supported my personal beliefs, I could do it.

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as far as i know, the ana code of ethics is not a required document for nurses to follow since we are not required to be members of ana (and in fact the vast majority of nurses are not members). don't state bons have the role of determining what nurses should and should not do?

i'm against the death penalty, but if nurses have been participating in it for years without reprisal, that would seem to indicate that state bons do not have a problem with it. the ana is something i really consider irrelevant in general. i just don't see how they affect me or my practice.

i've been in nursing forever, and really don't see what my personal beliefs have to do with my job. perhaps i am not understanding what is being said here - is it actually being said that in order to be a nurse, one must follow certain beliefs? i have never belonged to the ana and would totally refuse to belong to something that told me what to believe in. i'd appreciate some clarification of this folks. :)

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Its just like mom used to say.......If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything!

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On the other hand, what is "nice" is completely subjective and what may be taken at face value by one person may be an affront to another. So should we all stop posting?

/stops to ponder

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Its just like mom used to say.......If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything!

so wrong, particularly in nursing. Who gets what he or she wants if they are always "nice"? It's gotten nursing exactly NO WHERE for years. Better to say

"nice guys often finish last" if you ask me, particularly in nursing.

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Specializes in Critical Care/ICU.

"nice guys often finish last" if you ask me, particularly in nursing.

Also according to my 16 year old son who was shot down by his first real crush this week when he asked her if she'd like to hang out and walk our dog. :o

Poor guy.

Sorry so off topic. In the words of the famous Tim Gunn..."Carry On."

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
so wrong, particularly in nursing. Who gets what he or she wants if they are always "nice"? It's gotten nursing exactly NO WHERE for years. Better to say

"nice guys often finish last" if you ask me, particularly in nursing.

Deb, I couldn't agree with you more.

However, I would add there is a way to be assertive without being mean or witchy. I think one can be "nice" while speaking their mind, stating what they need, and what they will and will not accept.

Also, I think it's possible to express yourself without taking things out of context, without taking one particular quote or statistic and twisting the words around it to fit into your way of thinking. That's not nice. :)

For me, nice guys don't finish last, they come out on top!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Weetzie the Code of Ethics being revised by the ANA is available online. http://nursingworld.org/ethics/ecode.htm

They seem to be very fussy about copywrite, so it's difficult to post the actually addy but there are links.

It's actually something I can agree with for the most part, but am not going to swear an oath to.

Perhaps the part about respect for human dignity is what they take exception to about nurses who partake in capital punishment.

I'm not a member of the ANA, but have planned on it because, like it or not, they are the voice of American nurses on many levels, particularly on the national stage. They have many accomplishments.

This article does disappoint me, as it's very judgemental. How can an organization that whose goal it is to advance nursing and represent nursing get anyway by attacking other nurses and judging them.

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