Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses and Midwives
Course Description
Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses and Midwives (New Zealand) is a CPD course designed to help nursing and midwifery professionals understand, apply, and evidence ethical practice in line with the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) Code of Conduct and the Midwifery Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) Code of Conduct for Midwives.
The course explores the four core ethical principles — autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice — alongside cultural safety, professional boundaries, probity, and accountability.
Through guidance from regulators, Te Tiriti principles, and realistic case studies, learners gain practical tools to navigate ethical dilemmas, strengthen reflection, and demonstrate ethical integrity in CPD, remediation, and fitness-to-practise contexts.
Course Content
Course Objectives
Course Objectives
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Section 1 — Why Ethics Matters in New Zealand Nursing and Midwifery
1.1 The Role of Ethics in Nursing and Midwifery
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1.2 Why the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Prioritise Ethics
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1.3 Ethics and Professional Identity in Aotearoa
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1.4 Consequences of Ethical Lapses
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1.5 Why Ethics Matters Now More Than Ever
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1.6 Reflective Quiz Section 1
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Section 2 — Core Ethical Principles — Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Justice
2.1 Autonomy — Respecting Patient and Whānau Choice
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2.2 Beneficence — Acting in the Patient’s Best Interest
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2.3 Non-Maleficence — “Do No Harm”
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2.4 Justice — Fairness and Equity in Care
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2.5 Balancing Principles in Practice
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2.6 Reflective Quiz Section 2
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Section 3 — NCNZ and MCNZ Codes of Conduct — Key Ethical Expectations
3.1 Respect and Dignity
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3.2 Professional Responsibility and Accountability
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3.3 Quality and Safety of Practice
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3.4 Trust and Confidentiality
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3.5 Collaborative and Respectful Relationships
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3.6 Cultural Safety and Te Tiriti o Waitangi
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3.7 Professional Boundaries
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3.8 Candour and Honesty
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3.9 Reflective Practice and Continuous Learning
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3.10 Reflective Quiz Section 3
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Section 4 — Common Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing and Midwifery Practice
4.1 Informed Refusal vs Beneficence
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4.2 Confidentiality vs Duty to Protect
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4.3 End-of-Life Decision-Making
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4.4 Resource Allocation and Fairness
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4.5 Personal Beliefs and Professional Obligations
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4.6 Digital Professionalism and Social Media
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4.7 Cultural Safety and Equity of Care
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4.8 Professional Boundaries and Gifts
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4.9 Reflective Quiz Section 4
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Section 5 — Confidentiality, Digital Professionalism, and Privacy (Health Information Privacy Code 2020)
5.1 The Ethical Duty of Confidentiality
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5.2 Legal Framework — Privacy Act 2020 and Health Information Privacy Code 2020
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5.3 Confidentiality in the Digital Era
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5.4 Digital Professionalism and Social Media
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5.5 Telehealth and Remote Care
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5.6 Consequences of Breaches
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5.7 Reflective Quiz Section 5
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Section 6 — Probity, Honesty, and Accountability in Nursing and Midwifery Practice (New Zealand)
6.1 Probity as a Core Ethical Duty
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6.2 Honesty in Documentation and Communication
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6.3 Financial Integrity and Transparency
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6.4 Accountability in Practice
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6.5 Consequences of Breaching Probity and Accountability
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6.6 Building a Culture of Probity and Accountability
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6.7 Reflective Quiz Section 6
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Section 7 — Weak vs Strong Ethical Responses — Case Comparisons
7.1 Documentation Falsification
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7.2 Consent Failure
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7.3 Boundary Concern
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7.4 Disrespectful Communication
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7.5 Cultural Safety Lapse
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7.6 Medication Error
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7.7 Lessons Across Cases
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7.8 Reflective Quiz Section 7
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Section 8 — Demonstrating Ethics in Fitness-to-Practise and Remediation Processes
8.1 Why Ethical Demonstration Matters
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8.2 How the NCNZ and MCNZ Assess Ethical Behaviour
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8.3 Weak vs Strong Demonstrations
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8.4 Evidence That Reassures the Councils
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8.5 Remediation Portfolios in New Zealand
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8.6 Long-Term Monitoring and Ethical Growth
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8.7 Reflective Quiz Section 8
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Section 9 — Embedding Ethics into Professional Identity and Resilience
9.1 Ethics as Professional Identity
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9.2 Daily Ethical Habits
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9.3 Reflection and Accountability as Ongoing Practice
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9.4 Building Resilience to Sustain Ethics
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9.5 Mentorship and Role Modelling
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9.6 Sustaining Ethics Across a Career
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9.7 Reflective Quiz Section 9
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Section 10: Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
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Post-Course Assessment
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