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The AAOHN Code of Ethics has been developed in response to the nursing profession's acceptance of its goals and values, and the trust conferred upon it by society to guide the conduct and practices of the profession. As a professional, the occupational health nurse accepts the responsibility and inherent obligation to uphold these values.
The Code of Ethics is based on the belief that the goal of the occupational health nurse is to promote worker health and safety. This specialized practice is devoted to health promotion, prevention, and management of illness and injury at the worksite. The client can be both an individual worker or an aggregate worker population. The purpose of the AAOHN Code of Ethics is to serve as a guide for the registered professional nurse to maintain and pursue professionally recognized ethical behavior in providing occupational health services.
Ethics is synonymous with moral reasoning. Ethics is not law, but a guide for moral action. Universal moral principles are utilized by the professional nurse when making judgements related to the health and welfare of the worker or worker population.
The most significant principle for the occupational health nurse is autonomy, or the right to self-determination, which encompasses respect for an individual's right to privacy and refusal of care. Confidentiality and truth-telling are related concepts. Other key principles are beneficence (doing or producing good); nonmaleficence (avoiding harm); and justice (fair and nondisCTiminatory treatment of all individuals).
Occupational health nurses recognize that dilemmas may develop that do not have guidelines, data, or statutes to assist with problem resolution; thus, the occupational health nurse may use problem-solving, collaboration, and appropriate resources to resolve dilemmas.
The Code is not intended to establish nor replace standards of care or ixunimal levels of practice. In summary, the Code of Ethics and Interpretive Statements provide a guiding ethical framework for decision-making and evaluation of nursing actions as occupational health nurses fulfill their professional responsibilities to society and the profession.
1. The occupational health nurse provides health care in the work environment with regard for human dignity and client rights, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of the health status.
The profession of occupational health nursing is dedicated to the promotion, protection, and...