Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses and Midwives
Course Description
Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses and Midwives (USA) is a CPD course designed to help nurses and midwives understand, apply, and demonstrate ethical practice in line with U.S. regulatory expectations.
The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Code of Ethics, state nursing and midwifery boards, and the Federation of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) all emphasise that ethical practice is central to safe care, trust, and professional licensure.
This course explores the four principles of biomedical ethics (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice) alongside nursing- and midwifery-specific standards such as patient advocacy, dignity, confidentiality, probity, and accountability. Through regulator-aligned guidance and case studies, learners will gain practical strategies for embedding ethics into daily practice and responding effectively to ethical challenges.
Course Content
Course Objectives
Course Objectives
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 1: Introduction — Why Ethics Matters in Nursing and Midwifery
1.1 The Role of Ethics in Nursing and Midwifery
You don't currently have access to this content
1.2 Why Regulators Prioritise Ethics
You don't currently have access to this content
1.3 Ethics and Professional Identity
You don't currently have access to this content
1.4 Consequences of Ethical Lapses
You don't currently have access to this content
1.5 Why Ethics Matters Now More Than Ever
You don't currently have access to this content
1.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 2: Core Ethical Principles — Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Justice
2.1 Autonomy — Respecting Patient Choice
You don't currently have access to this content
2.2 Beneficence — Acting in the Patient’s Best Interest
You don't currently have access to this content
2.3 Non-Maleficence — “Do No Harm”
You don't currently have access to this content
2.4 Justice — Fairness and Equality in Care
You don't currently have access to this content
2.5 Balancing Principles in Practice
You don't currently have access to this content
2.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 3: ANA Code of Ethics and ACNM Standards — Key Expectations
3.1 American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics
You don't currently have access to this content
3.2 American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Code of Ethics
You don't currently have access to this content
3.3 Shared Expectations Across ANA and ACNM
You don't currently have access to this content
3.4 State Boards and Ethical Codes
You don't currently have access to this content
3.5 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 4: Common Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing and Midwifery Practice
4.1 Informed Consent and Autonomy
You don't currently have access to this content
4.2 Confidentiality vs Duty to Report
You don't currently have access to this content
4.3 End-of-Life Decisions
You don't currently have access to this content
4.4 Allocation of Scarce Resources
You don't currently have access to this content
4.5 Conflicts of Personal Beliefs and Patient Rights
You don't currently have access to this content
4.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 5: Confidentiality, Digital Professionalism, and HIPAA Compliance
5.1 The Ethical Duty of Confidentiality
You don't currently have access to this content
5.2 HIPAA Compliance
You don't currently have access to this content
5.3 Digital Professionalism
You don't currently have access to this content
5.4 Professional Strategies for Safe Practice
You don't currently have access to this content
5.5 Consequences of Breaches
You don't currently have access to this content
5.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 6: Probity, Honesty, and Accountability in Nursing and Midwifery
6.1 Defining Probity and Honesty
You don't currently have access to this content
6.2 Accountability in Daily Practice
You don't currently have access to this content
6.3 Consequences of Dishonesty and Lack of Probity
You don't currently have access to this content
6.4 Building a Culture of Accountability
You don't currently have access to this content
6.5 Regulator Expectations
You don't currently have access to this content
6.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 7: Weak vs Strong Ethical Responses — Case Comparisons
7.1 Nursing — Medication Error
You don't currently have access to this content
7.2 Midwifery — Inadequate Documentation
You don't currently have access to this content
7.3 Nursing — Breach of Confidentiality
You don't currently have access to this content
7.4 Midwifery — Boundary Violation
You don't currently have access to this content
7.5 Nursing — Disrespectful Communication
You don't currently have access to this content
7.6 Lessons Across Professions
You don't currently have access to this content
7.7 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 8: Demonstrating Ethics in Disciplinary and Remediation Processes
8.1 Why Ethical Demonstration Matters
You don't currently have access to this content
8.2 How Boards Assess Ethical Conduct
You don't currently have access to this content
8.3 Weak vs Strong Demonstrations
You don't currently have access to this content
8.4 Evidence Boards Find Persuasive
You don't currently have access to this content
8.5 Remediation Portfolios
You don't currently have access to this content
8.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 9: Embedding Ethics into Professional Identity and Resilience
9.1 Ethics as Part of Professional Identity
You don't currently have access to this content