Safety and Ethics
2.2 Ethical and Professional Foundations
CNA Code of Ethics for Nurses
The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA)[1] is a professional organization that represents the national and global interests of Canadian nurses. They represent registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed and registered practical nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, and retired nurses across all 13 provinces and territories. [2] The CNA developed the Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses as a guide for carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession.[3]
CNA Registered Nurse Practice Framework
The CNA publishes The Framework for the Practice of Registered Nurses in Canada. This framework promotes a common understanding of RN practice among nurses, students and stakeholders (including other health professionals, employers, educators, policy-makers and the public). Given the large number of regulated and unregulated care providers in Canada, it is essential for policy-makers, decision-makers and employers to clearly understand RN competencies and contributions as well as to know when RN care is the most appropriate. [4] Each province and territory also has a regional governing body for nurses. These regional bodies are responsible for further outlining the scope of practice, practice standards, and professional standards for their registrants. The regulatory body in British Columbia is the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives[5]
The CNA defines nursing as “the application of professional nursing knowledge, skills, and judgment for the purpose of: (a) promoting, maintaining, and restoring health; (b) preventing illness, injury, or disability; (c) caring for persons who are sick, injured, disabled, or dying; (d) assisting in pre-natal care, childbirth, and postnatal care; (e) health teaching and health counselling; (f) coordinating health care; or (g) engaging in administration, teaching, or research. [6] A registered nurse is an individual who is educationally prepared and licensed by a province or territory to practice as a registered nurse.
CNA Entry-level Competencies
CNA entry-level competencies describe a competent level of behaviour in the professional role.[7] A total of 101 competencies are grouped thematically under nine roles. Integration of all nine roles enables the entry-level registered nurse to provide safe, competent, ethical, compassionate, and evidence-informed nursing care in any practice setting. Some concepts are relevant to multiple roles. The roles include:
Clinician: provide safe, competent, ethical, compassionate, and evidence-informed care across the lifespan in response to client needs; integrate knowledge, skills, judgment and professional values from nursing and other diverse sources into their practice.
Professional: commit to the health and well-being of clients; uphold the profession’s practice standards and ethics and be accountabl