American Nurses Association - The Center for Ethics and Human Rights

1. The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.
2. The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group or community.
3. The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient.
4. The nurse is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse's obligation to provide optimum patient care.
5. The nurse owes the same duties to self as others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, to maintain competency, and to continue personal and professional growth.
6. The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality healthcare and consistent with the values of the professional through individual and collective action.
7. The nurse participates in the advancement of the profession through contributions to practice, education, administration, and knowledge development.
8. The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public in promoting community, national, and international efforts to meet health needs.
9. The profession of nursing, as represented by associations and their members, is responsible for articulating nursing values, for maintaining the integrity of the professional and its practice, and for shaping social policy.

Reference: Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, American Nurses Association

In addition, the nursing practice at St. Lucie Medical Center is guided by the following standards:

• Florida Nurse Practice Act
• ANA Standards of Nursing Social Policy Statement
• ANA Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice
• ANA Scope and Standards of Practice for Nurse Administrators