...Running head: MY MORAL COMPASS My Moral Compass My Moral Compass Our deepest and enduring sense of identity comes from realizing our connection to the larger world (Bloom, n.d.). Morality directs life’s journey; it is the basis of all decisions, attitudes, and goals. The process of being moral is developed from personal experiences and parental guidance. One set of values may differ from another, but neither is wrong. The Code of Ethics designed by the American Nurse’s Association (ANA) in 2001, is the framework for ethical practice and personal moral beliefs in nursing. The moral compass is the key component to ethical decision making and practice as defined by ANA. Nurses use a moral compass to guide them in ethically caring for patients. Each compass is unique and carries with it a specific set of values. Personal, cultural, and spiritual values influence nursing care and create a professional moral compass. Two values that contribute to my professional self identity are justice and compassion. Judicial treatment in the American healthcare system is easier to obtain than in some other countries. However, the incorporation of insurance companies can make obtaining ethical care more challenging. The insurance based health system is directed and influenced by money, making the majority of a patient’s care based on approval or denial of claims to maintain health. It is difficult as a nurse to deliver adequate care at times when better care could be given. For example...
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...Professional Moral Compass Grand Canyon University: Introduction to the Study of Ethics August 9, 2013 My professional moral compass is driven by integrity, empathy, compassion and service. As a nurse I believe that every individual has equal rights to the same excellence in care. My personal code of ethics that I hold myself to, has direct influence on my practice as a nurse. I believe self-evaluation is imperative to be able to function at a healthy emotional level at work and in the home. Looking at my values and beliefs and reminding myself of the purpose I have to my patients allows me to be a more open and honest nurse. Professional morals and values have been set forth to guide us to be accountable and endorse the principles a nurse represents. I carry with me family values that have been instilled since childhood. My beliefs and values are what I believe to be truth about my world and the people it is influenced by. I was taught to evaluate my choices and decisions carefully before committing. It is important to consider that consequences to my actions not only affect myself but those around me. I strive in my personal life and my practice as a nurse to be empathic and compassionate. Every human being has a story and a purpose and I believe wholeheartedly we all have Gods purpose for everything we do. I am a caretaker by nature and have been since a small child. I believe that those traits allows me to serve my patients with honesty, respect...
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...Ethics: HIV/AIDS Name Institutional Affiliation Date HIV/AIDS for over three decades has been a global epidemic affecting all races, genders and ages. The prevalence of the calamity has not been limited by any borders as it has traversed the entire world to emerge as a global threat. Despite the emergence of other health epidemics such as Ebola and lately the Zika virus, HIV has remained not only as a giant slayer but also as a multitude slayer killing millions of victims since its inception into the earth’s surface. HIV is categorised as a virus, and it attacks the human immune system thus decreasing the ability of the human body to fight diseases while suppressing the multiplication of unwanted or dangerous cells such as cancer cells (Stolley & Glass, 2009). The origin of HIV/AIDS nonetheless is not without controversies with various theories as to how the condition emerged in existence. Despite the existence of the many controversies, there is the wider belief that HIV has its origins in the nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo specifically in Kinshasa around the 1920s. The most common answer to the origin of HIV/AIDS by scientists is that it originated from primates of a non-human kind in the form of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Africa (Crawford, 2013). While it is believed that the virus had other sub-groups that equally gained human infectivity, the prevalent global catastrophe is associated a particular strain which is the HIV-1 that emerged in...
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...A professional moral compass is something everyone has and lives by. In the nursing practice, an individual’s personal, cultural, and spiritual values contribute to their worldview and philosophy of nursing. One’s personal values, philosophy, and worldview may conflict with his or her obligation to practice, creating an ethical dilemma. In addition, personal values in regard to the morals and ethical dilemmas faced in the health care field affect behavior and decision making. My personal, cultural, and spiritual beliefs all revolve around my origin. I was born and raised in India and it was drilled into me that I should give it my best in everything. As I grew up and went to nursing school this was my main motivation and inspiration. Now in the U.S. practicing nursing, I have made it a point to give it my all when caring for patients and families. Other values that contribute to my worldview and philosophy of nursing are integrity and responsibility. I try to be consistent with my actions, methods, principles, and expectations. Also, I have learned to take responsibility for everything I say and do. Although it can be hard to take the blame, I have understood that taking responsibility makes us work harder and helps us better attain our goals. These values have influenced my nursing practice in that when I care for a patient, I try to give the same quality of care I would want if I was in their place. Also, respect is an underrated discipline and showing respect to patients and...
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...Moral Compass Essay Yuebo (Grace) Zhu I. Introduction A moral compass is the moral guide on which a person bases his/her decisions and distinguishes what is right from what is wrong. With our moral compass, we know what rules we should play by. When I was a child, I learnt Chinese traditional wisdom, Confucianism, from my parents and elementary school. The core of Confucianism is humanity, to be altruistic, upright and courteous within the society, from which I got to know the rules I should honor. Never cheat. Be kind and honest. Don't do anything that will hurt others. These become the foundation of my moral compass. As I grow older, I have been introduced to other theories which cast light on the formation of my moral compass. According to Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill’s philosophy of Utilitarianism, the measure of right and wrong is to maximize happiness of maximized number. But when I tried to make decisions based on this theory, I met some problems. First, sometimes it’s impossible to transfer all the values into numbers to make comparison. Second, to achieve the maximized overall pleasure, I had to sacrifice the minority’s interests, which was unfair to them. As I was exposed to “Liberalism”, I found my answers. Every individual in the society deserves respect. Everyone has the right to choose freely, to live our life in the way we like, and to respect others for doing the same things. This part of Liberalism goes along with Confucianism; therefore I set...
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...Professional Moral Compass Ida Carpenter RN Grand Canyon University August 20, 2012 Ethics is defined as the study of good conduct, character, and purposes. It is concerned with determining what is good or important for all people (Potter & Perry, 2001). I struggle daily with ethics when I am faced with making decisions for one or more of my residents. It is not easy keeping your own feelings or religious beliefs out of decision making. I must practice my ethical behavior each day, by basing my decisions on what is right/fair for the resident. Value is defined as a personal belief about the worth of a given idea, attitude, custom or object that sets standards that influence behavior (Norwood, 2009). My family was raised with multiple values, and the one that always stands out to me is “treat people the way you would want them to treat you.” I live by that same standard every day, as well as pass it along to my children. Morals is defined as of or relating to principles or distinguishing between right and wrong behavior (Webster’s Dictionary, 2003). Throughout my life and the life of my children’s, I continue to instill the Ten Commandments. I always tell my children and myself often that if we follow these steps we could never be accused of wrong doing. I am faced with a battle on a day to day basis when it comes to caring and making sound decisions for my residents. Remembering not to go by my emotions, but to make judgments by asking myself what is best for...
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...Individual Deliverable Assignment 1: The Moral Compass Essay The Role of Human Values in Business Leadership Qiannan Xu Jun 22, 2015 My Personal Integrity Chinese cultural development is significantly influenced by Confucius who is one of the greatest teach, editor, and politician in Chinese history. Confucianism exerts a deep impact on Chinese society. It conveys the ideal of social and political ethics to us. According to Kaplan (2015), “The rise of Asia in our time has a great deal to do with how the social stability encouraged by Confucianism has interacted with modern capitalism” (p. 2). The two most important ideologies of Confucianism are “humaneness” and “virtue,” which are considered as the foundation of moral principles. As the Master Kong says, “Kindness is the best quality of the soul.” We always bear in mind that we should be good people. My vision of the good life is that I could always live with a kind heart. One day, we could achieve something in our life. We would also go through some unexpected setbacks along the road. Whenever we get frustrated, we should cherish gratitude to our life and get back on track with optimistic attitude. Instead of focusing solely on ourselves, we could try to contribute to the society with our own efforts. Schwartz (2010) argued that “Gratifying our most immediate needs and desires provides bursts of pleasure, but they’re usually short-lived” (p. 2). Such satisfaction is irreplaceable and valuable. As the Master...
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...The Moral Compass Essay is BRIEF SYNOPSIS of your personal moral compass based on your completed Moral Compass Workbook. It should be written in your own words in the first person narrative voice. SUGGESTED OUTLINE AND QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ESSAY YOUR PERSONAL INTEGRITY: What is your understanding of a moral compass as a foundation for personal integrity? From which Wisdom Tradition(s) do you draw in constructing your moral compass? What do you value and question about this Wisdom Tradition? • MORAL VISION: What is your vision of a good life? What values anchor your moral vision? What symbol, song, image, or story motivates and inspires your moral vision? How does your Wisdom Tradition influence your moral vision? • MORAL CODE: What are the rules or principles of your moral code? How does your moral code align with your moral vision? How does your Wisdom Tradition influence your moral code? • MORAL FITNESS: What practices constitute your moral fitness regimen? How do you use these practices to cultivate personal character and integrity? How do these practices align with and reinforce your moral vision and code. How does your Wisdom Tradition influence your moral code? • DEFINING MOMENT: What moral challenge has been a key defining moment for you? How has this challenge tested, clarified, and defined your character and values. If you could, how would you rewrite the script for this event in your life? Why? How does your Wisdom Tradition influence your moral understanding...
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...Numerous moral issues challenge us every day. Resolving these issues may lead to the neglecting of right from wrong, which is our moral compass. The moral compass helps maintain our humanity. Knowledge of the moral compass is one thing but applying it is another. The lack of utilizing the moral compass alters political decisions, science improvements, and the management of issues. Many political decisions are done for right reasons but have long-term effects. The event of 6 August 1945 shows us a way the United States mismanaged their moral compass. The United States made a decision to drop an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima to end World War II. The outcome of this killed seventy to eighty thousand people and another seventy thousand injured....
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...Running head: MY PROFESSIONAL MORAL COMPASS My Professional Moral Compass Pamela Chesnut Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS 437V July 26, 2012 My Professional Moral Compass A professional moral compass is something everyone has and lives by. It helps assist in making decisions and is based on morals or virtues. My personal moral compass is directed by various inspirations, passions, and values that I try to live by. Compassion, loyalty, integrity, honor, faithfulness, hard work, service unto others, self-discipline, accountability, and a good sense of humor contribute to my worldview and philosophy of nursing. I try to give the same quality of care to all patients and their family members, which I would want to be given as if it were I or my loved one. A nurse uses their professional moral compass to make the best decisions for their patient. Nursing is all about the patients and without values, morals, and ethics nurses lose the focus on the patients. Values are the moral principles and beliefs or accepted standards of a person or social group (“Value“, n.d.). Values are important because they can help influence decisions, actions, even nurse’s ethical decision making. Morals in nursing are the principles of behavior in accordance with standards of right and wrong. Ethics is about what kind of persons we are becoming – our character and how our choices shape us (“Ethics”, n.d.). The ethics of nursing is the nurse's...
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...part of their healthcare decision-making. As nurses expand their scope of responsibility, we find ourselves faced with ethical decisions not involving only patients' rights and professional issues, but also issues relating to business and economic factors. Many ethical dilemmas involve the potential conflict of interest between the needs and interests of the patient and the desire of the practitioner to make more money. Ethical vs. Legal Conduct To begin with, it is helpful to distinguish between ethical conduct and legal conduct. For nurses and other medical professionals, behavior that might be considered unethical does not necessarily have to be illegal, but most illegal acts are always unethical. A nurse's behavior, if guided by moral imperatives, should ethically reach a level of responsibility and decision-making that stands apart from legal considerations. Simply put, ethical standards govern our behavior and are based on honesty, responsibility and fairness. In this age of decreasing reimbursement, increased competition and higher business costs, it can be a challenge to maintain an ethical and profitable professional practice, even for nurses who are employed within large organizations. There may be situations when you conclude the needs of your patients or your community exceeds your capacity to provide uncompensated or under-compensated care. Other nurses have determined that in certain...
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...Moral Compass Damon Horowitz, in his Ted talk calls it a moral operating system, which requires actual thought and reflection when making decisions about right and wrong actions . The Ethics and Compliance Institute, Ethics.org shares their version of an Ethical Decision-Making process based on filters and values. Their filters, PLUS (Policies, Legal, Universal, Self) provide four questions to guide decisions, suggesting a thoughtful and consistent process of analysis to guide leaders and organizations. Their values, EPIC (Empathy, Patience, Integrity, Courage) add another level of guidance based on the “universal” perceptions of right and wrong. Gensler proposes the Golden Rule as the universal moral compass, “Treat others as you want to be...
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...My Professional Moral Compass Having a proper understanding and adapting an acceptable code of ethics is essential to nursing profession and offers a principles that can be used as guide for producing ethical culture. Code of ethics helps nurse to direct practice with compassion and respect for human dignity, responsibility, accountability, confidentiality and protect patient safety (ANA Code of ethics, 2014). Codes of ethics also act as a guide for to develop and to perform the high quality of nursing (ANA Code of ethics, 2014). In my nursing profession, my personal, cultural, and spiritual values have direct effect to the people I interact and care for and has direct correlation in my decision making and thought processes which influences decisions. My values, morals, and ethics are forged from my childhood, the culture I grow up with, my customs and beliefs. My beliefs are shaped by the accumulation of my early year’s interaction with my families, friends, associates, education attainment and experiences. As a nurse, my philosophy is to help others who are in need by providing care and compassion and to be empathetic and sympathetic to others. My work ethics centers around nobility, kind attitude, and to respect others even though the patient value or belief is different from mine. As a nurse, I also have an obligation to provide the best quality care by making patients comfortable, safe, secured and informed and...
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...Running head: PERSONAL ETHICS Personal Ethics: Professional Moral Compass Grand Canyon University NRS 437V January 8, 2012 Professional Moral Compass Ethics, a branch of philosophy refers to the values for human conduct, considering the rightness and wrongness of actions and motives. As nursing profession is an integral part of the health care environment, the nursing ethics provides the insight to the values and ethical principles governing nursing practice, conduct, and relationships. The Code of Ethics for Nurses, adopted by the American Nurses' Association (ANA) is intended to provide definite standards of practice and conduct that are essential to the ethical discharge of the nurse's responsibility (American Nurses Association, 2012). A nurse cultivates personal ethics through personal, cultural and spiritual values which becomes a moral compass for their professional ethics. Personal ethics in combination with the code of ethics often assist the nurses in personal and social decision making during ethical dilemma. This ability prompts them to better respond to needs of the suffering patient and their own well-being. This paper will discuss the personal, cultural, and spiritual values contributing to nurses’ individual worldview and philosophy of nursing and the moral and ethical dilemma being faced in this profession. Values Contributing to Individual’s Worldview and Philosophy of Nursing Born in a Christian middle class South Indian family, the strict...
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...Another popular theory is based upon human error because the Triangle is one area out of two in the entire world where the compass points magnetic north, instead of true north. This can cause a difference of up to 20 degrees in compass readings, which could lead one way off course (Quasar). The Triangle’s environment also poses a different theory. Extreme, unexpected weather patterns have been known to take place in the area, for example, hurricanes and electrical storms. Plus, the Gulf Stream is powerful enough to wipe away all evidence of boats and planes that may have become caught in these storms...
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