The American Nurses Association’s [ANA] Code of Ethics are standards meant to protect not only the public but the nurses as well. Without these standards, clinicians can rationalize practices, according to their own convictions, but may not necessarily benefit the client and uphold the integrity of the profession. For instance, a nurse with substance abuse disorder can justify his action as a reasonable coping mechanism to perform his job. However, with the ANA Code of Ethics under Provision 5, Lachman, Swanson, and Winland-Brown (2015) interpreted the nurses’ responsibility to preserve his overall health and safety, his integrity and competence. Hence, Lachman et al. (2015) emphasized the components of maintaining self-respect and self-preservation. In the same context, Bettinardi-Angres and Bologeorges (2011) cited the ANA’s recommended action for nurses to report unethical, illegal, incompetence, and impaired practices. Therefore, as in the case of Carrie, suspected of substance abuse, the nurse …show more content…
National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN] (2014) suggested confronting the suspected clinician in a private and supportive environment. Also, based on the state’s Nurses’ Practice Act, the nurse manager will report the nurse for non-punitive disciplinary actions to protect the public, promote the nurse’s treatment and accountability.
NCSBN (2014) claimed that when a nurse manager developed a culture of intolerance to substance abuse, the incidence of substance abuse disorder is reduced. Despite the various excuses of non-reporting of drug abuse, adequate education, the presence of a clear policy and ethical guidelines can assist a leader in confronting the suspected nurse wisely and