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Nursing Ethics

Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses (2008 Centennial Edition)

Ethics reading resources

The following list of resources is updated on an ongoing basis as new information arises. If you are aware of other ethics resources that would be useful for nurses in Canada, please e-mail the information to: ethics@cna-aiic.ca.

CNA Resources

Ethics in Practice papers

Canadian Nurses Association. (2000, September). Working with Limited Resources: Nurses’ Moral Constraints. Ethics in Practice.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/cna/documents/pdf/publications/Ethics_Pract_Limited_Resources_Sept_2000_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2001, May). Futility Presents Many Challenges for Nurses. Ethics in Practice.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/cna/documents/pdf/publications/Ethics_Pract_Futility_challenges_May_2001_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2003, October). Ethical Distress in Health Care Environments. Ethics in Practice.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/cna/documents/pdf/publications/Ethics_Pract_Ethical_Distress_Oct_2003_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2003, November). Privacy and Health Information: Challenges for Nurses and for the Nursing Profession. Ethics in Practice.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/cna/documents/pdf/publications/Ethics_Pract_Privacy_Health_Nov_2003_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2006, February). Public Health Nursing Practice and Ethical Challenges. Ethics in Practice.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/cna/documents/pdf/publications/Ethics_in_Practice_Jan_06_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2008, in press). Nurses’ Ethical Considerations in a Pandemic or Other Emergency. Ethics in Practice. (coming soon)


* Additional Ethics in Practice papers are available from CNA’s website at: www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/practice/ethics/inpractice/default_e.aspx


Position Statements

Canadian Nurses Association. (2000). The Environment is a Determinant of Health. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS45_env_determinant_health_June_2000_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2001). Privacy of personal health information. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS50_Privacy_health_information_ June_2001_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2002). Ethical Nurse Recruitment. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/psrecruit01Jan_2007_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2002). Nurses’ Involvement in Screening for Alcohol or Drugs in the Workplace. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS62_Nurses_Involvement_Screening_Alcohol_Nov_2002_
e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2002). The Role of the Nurse In Reproductive and Genetic Technologies. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS58_Role_Nurse_Reproductive_Genetic_Technologies_
March_2002_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2003). Global Health and Equity. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS69_Global_Health_Equity_June_2003_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2003). Patient Safety. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS70_Patient-Safety_en.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2003). Peace and Security. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS64_Peace_Security_March_2003_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2003). Staffing Decisions for the Delivery of Safe Nursing Care. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS67_Staffing_Decisions_Delivery_Safe_Nursing_Care_
June_20
03_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2004). Promoting Continuing Competence for Registered Nurses. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS77_promoting_competence_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2004). Promoting Culturally Competent Care. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS73_Promoting_Culturally_Competent_Care_March_
2004_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2004). Registered Nurses and Human Rights. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS78_Human_Rights_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2005). Accountability: Regulatory Framework. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS80_Accountability_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2005). Interprofessional Collaboration. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS84_Interprofessional_Collaboration_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2005). Regulation and Integration of International Nurse Applicants into the Canadian Health System. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS79_Regulation_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2006). Blood-Borne Pathogens: Registered Nurses and Their Ethical Obligations. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS86_Blood_Borne_Pathogen_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association & Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. (2006). Practice Environments: Maximizing Client, Nurse and System Outcomes. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS88-Practice-Environments-e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2007). Canadian Regulatory Framework for Registered Nurses. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS90_Canadian_Regulatory_2008_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2007). Emergency Preparedness and Response. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS91_Emergency_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2007). Telehealth. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/PS89_Telehealth_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2008, in press). Providing Nursing Care at the End of Life. Ottawa: Author.

Canadian Nurses Association & Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. (2008, in press). Workplace Violence and Incivility. Ottawa: Authors.

Canadian Nurses Association and Canadian Medical Association. (2009). Environmentally Responsible Activity in the Health-Care Sector [Joint position statement]. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/JPS99_Environmental_e.pdf


* Additional Position Papers are available from CNA’s website at: www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/issues/position/default_e.aspx


Documents

Canadian Nurses Association. (2002). Ethical Research Guidelines for Registered Nurses. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/practice/ethics/guidelines/default_e.aspx

Canadian Nurses Association. (2004). Everyday ethics: Putting the code into practice, 2nd Edition. Ottawa: Author.
http://bookstore.cna-aiic.ca/c267879p16716960.2.html

Canadian Nurses Association. (2006). Social justice… a means to an end and an end in itself. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/Social_Justice_e.pdf

Canadian Nurses Association. (2007). The Environment and Health: An Introduction for Nurses. Ottawa: Author.
http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/Environmental_Health_2008_e.pdf


Canadian Nurse – Ethical Dilemmas/Ethics in Action

Beuthin, R. (2006). To shower or not to shower. Canadian Nurse, 102(9), 34-35 with Commentary by Janet L. Storch.
Ellerton, M.L. (2000). When parents and children disagree about care. Canadian Nurse, 96(7), 35-36.
Ellerton, M.L. (2002). Client restraints: More than a safety issue. Canadian Nurse, 98(2), 32-33.
Lazaruk, T. (2006). The CPR Question. Canadian Nurse, 102(2), 22-24 with Commentary by Janet L. Storch.
McAlpine, H. (2001). Refusal to care. Canadian Nurse, 97(6), 33-34.
Moorhouse, A. (2001). When CPR is not an option. Canadian Nurse, 97(1), 37-38.
Storch, J. (2000). Exposure to body fluids. Canadian Nurse, 96(6), 35-36.
Storch, J. (2002). When a client considers surrogacy. Canadian Nurse, 98(5), 32-33.


infirmière canadienne – Articles on ethics

Saint-Arnaud, J. Technologies biomédicales et enjeux éthiques en soins infirmiers : La fin justifie-t-elle les moyens?,  infirmière canadienne, 3 (4), 2002, p. 4-8.
Saint-Arnaud, J. Technologies biomédicales et enjeux éthiques en soins infirmiers : La vie, oui… mais à quel prix?, infirmière canadienne, 3 (3), 2002, p. 4-8.
Pelletier, C. Recherche sur la maltraitance infantile : Les incontournables de l’éthique, infirmière canadienne, 2 (6), 2001, p. 4-8.
Saint-Arnaud, J. Les théories éthiques et l’éthique des soins, infirmière canadienne, 2 (2), 2001, p. 8-10.
Saint-Arnaud, J. Pourquoi une chronique en éthique des soins?, infirmière canadienne, 1 (3), 2000, p. 10-11.
Beuthin, R. (2006). Se doucher ou pas? infirmiere canadienne, 7(9), 30-31.


Provincial and Territorial Nursing Associations and Colleges Resources

Please check the websites of the provincial and territorial registered nurses’ associations and colleges for additional resources, as the following list is not exhaustive. Further provincial and territorial resources can also be found in the Ethics References from the 2008 code at the beginning of the Ethics Resources Listing.

Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador. (2003). Performance of nursing tasks by support workers in community settings. St. John’s, NL: Author.

College & Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta. (2006). Working extra hours: Guidelines for registered nurses on fitness to practice and the provision of safe, competent, ethical nursing care. Edmonton: Author.
https://www.nurses.ab.ca/Carna-Admin/Uploads/Working%20Extra%20Hours.pdf

College of Nurses of Ontario. (2005). Ethics Practice Standard. Toronto: Author. http://www.cno.org/docs/prac/41034_Ethics.pdf

College of Nurses of Ontario. (2006). Therapeutic nurse-client relationship, Revised 2006. Practice Standard. Toronto: Author.
http://www.cno.org/docs/prac/41033_Therapeutic.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. (2005). Advocacy. Vancouver, BC: Author.

College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. (2005). Guidelines for a quality practice environment for nurses in British Columbia. Vancouver: Author.
http://www.crnbc.ca/downloads/409.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba. (2002). Working short staffed. Winnipeg: Author.
http://www.crnm.mb.ca/downloads/working_short_staffed__web.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba. (2003). Interpretive document: Refusal of treatment. Winnipeg: Author.
http://www.crnm.mb.ca/downloads/refusal_of_treatment__web.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba. (2004). Interpretive document: Do I have a duty to report? Winnipeg: Author.
http://www.crnm.mb.ca/downloads/do_i_have_a_duty_to_report__web.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba. (2006). Interpretive document: Placebos – Code of ethics application. Winnipeg: Author.
http://www.crnm.mb.ca/downloads/placebos__web.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba. (2007). Professional boundaries for therapeutic relationships. Winnipeg: Author.
http://www.crnm.mb.ca/downloads/professionalboundaries_web.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia. (2004). Delegation guidelines for registered nurses. Halifax: Author.
http://www.crnns.ca/documents/Delegation%20Guidelines%202004.pdf
 
College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia. (2006). Emergency preparedness plan. Halifax: Author.
http://www.crnns.ca/documents/EmergencyPreparednessPlanwithAppendicesV1.2-Dec11-2006.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia. (2007). Position statement: Core competencies for registered nurses and nurse practitioners in an emergency/disaster. Halifax: Author.
http://www.crnns.ca/documents/PositionStatementCompetenciesforRNsandNPsEmergency
Disaster2007.pdf

College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia. (2007). Professional practice guidelines: Duty to provide care. Halifax: Author. http://www.crnns.ca/documents/DutytoProvideCare2007.pdf

Nurses Association of New Brunswick & New Brunswick Nurses Union. (2002). Nursing shortage: Workload and professional concerns. Fredericton: Authors.
http://www.nanb.nb.ca/pdf_e/Publications/General_Publications/Nursing_Shortage_Workload_and_
Professional_Practice_Concerns_English.pdf

Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. (2007). Embracing cultural diversity in health care: Developing cultural competence. Healthy work environments best practice guidelines. Toronto: Author.
http://www.rnao.org/Storage/29/2336_BPG_Embracing_Cultural_Diversity.pdf

Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. (2007). Professionalism in nursing. Healthy work environments best practice guidelines. Toronto: Author.
http://www.rnao.org/Storage/28/2303_BPG_Professionalism.pdf

Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association. (2006). Ethics Guidelines for Industry Sponsorships applying to RNs and RN(NP)s. Regina: Author.
http://www.srna.org/communications/pdf/2006_ethical_guidelines.pdf

Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association. (2008). Promoting Equity through Harm Reduction in Nursing Practice. Regina: Author.
http://www.srna.org/nurse_resources/pos_state/promoting_equity.pdf


Other Resources

Nurses may consult with members of the health team, ethics committees, practice consultants at associations and colleges, religious leaders, etc.

American Nurses Association. (2008). Guidance for providing care under altered conditions: A review of standards, guidelines and competencies during emergencies and disasters. Washington, DC: Author.
http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/HealthcareandPolicyIssues/DPR/TheLawEthicsof
DisasterResponse/AdaptingStandardsofCare.aspx

American Nurses Association. (2008). Guide to the Code of Ethics for Nurses: Interpretation and Application. Silver Spring, MD: Author.

Austin, W. (2001). Nursing ethics in an era of globalization. Advances in Nursing Science, 24(2), 1-18.

Austin, W. (2007). The ethics of everyday practice: Healthcare environments as moral communities. Advances in Nursing Science, 30(1), 81-88.

Austin, W., Bergum, V., & Goldberg, L. (2003). Unable to answer the call of our patients: Mental health nurses’ experience of moral distress. Nursing Inquiry, 10(3), 177-183.

Bandura, A. (2002). Selective moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. Journal of Medical Education, 31(2), 101-119.
http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/Bandura2002JME.pdf

Bekemeier, B., & Butterfield, P. (2005). Unreconciled inconsistencies: A critical review of the concept of social justice in 3 national nursing documents. Advances in Nursing Science, 28(2), 152-162.

Bergum, V., & Dossetor, J.B. (2005). Relational ethics: The full meaning of respect. Hagerstown, MD: University Publishing Group.

Butterfield, P.G. (1990). Thinking upstream: Nurturing a conceptual understanding of the societal context of health behavior. Advances in Nursing Science, 12(2), 1-8.

Canadian Medical Association. (1994). CMA Code of Ethics (Update 2004). Ottawa: Author. http://policybase.cma.ca/PolicyPDF/PD04-06.pdf

Canadian Nurses Protective Society. (1994, December). Consent to treatment: The role of the nurse. infoLAW, 3(2).

Canadian Nurses Protective Society. (1996, September). Confidentiality of health information: Your client’s right. infoLAW, 1(2).

Canadian Nurses Protective Society. (2006). Professional liability protection in a pandemic. Ottawa: Author. http://www.cnps.ca/pandemic/pandemic_e.html

Canadian Patient Safety Institute. (2007). Canadian disclosure guidelines. Edmonton: Author.
http://www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca/uploadedFiles/Resources/Canadian%20Disclosure%20Guidelines-20Feb%202008.pdf

Corley, M.C., & Goren, S. (1998). The dark side of nursing: Impact of stigmatizing responses on patients. Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice, 12(2), 99-122.

Gillis, A.J. (2003). Personal accountability. Canadian Nurse, 99(10), 34-35.

Hamric, A.B. (2000). Moral distress in everyday ethics. Nursing Outlook, 48, 199-201.

Hamric, A.B. (2002). Bridging the gap between ethics and clinical practice. Nursing Outlook, 50, 176-178.

Hanna, D.R. (2004). Moral distress: The state of the science. Research and theory for nursing practice: An international journal, 18(1), 73-93.

Hardingham, L.B. (2004). Integrity and moral residue: Nurses as participants in a moral community. Nursing Philosophy, 5, 127-134.

Hartrick-Doane, G.A. (2005). Family nursing as relational inquiry: Developing health promoting practice. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Hofmeyer, A.T. & Marck, P.B. (in press; accepted 19 November 2007). Building Social Capital in Nurses' Workplaces: Thinking Ecologically to Strengthen the Safety and Integrity of Health Care Organizations. Nursing Outlook.
 
International Council of Nurses. (2006). The ICN code of ethics for nurses. Geneva: Author.
http://www.icn.ch/icncode.pdf

International Council of Nurses. (2007). Guidelines on coping with violence in the workplace. Geneva: Author. http://www.icn.ch/guide_violence.pdf

Johnstone, M.J. (2004). Bioethics: A nursing perspective, 4th ed. Toronto: Harcourt Saunders.

Joint Centre for Bioethics. (2005). Stand on guard for thee: Ethical considerations in preparedness planning for pandemic influenza. Toronto: University of Toronto.

Liaschenko, J., & Peter, E. (2004). Nursing ethics and conceptualizations of nursing: profession, practice and work. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 46(5), 488-495.

Lutzen, K., Cronqvist, A., Magnusson, A., & Anderson, L. (2003). Moral stress: Synthesis of a concept. Nursing Ethics, 10(3), 312-322.

Marck, P.B. (2004). Ethics for Practitioners: An Ecological Framework. In J. Storch, P. Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.), Towards a Moral Horizon: Nursing Ethics for Leadership and Practice. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada.
Marck, P.B. (2000). Nursing in a technological world: Searching for healing communities. Advances in Nursing Science, 23(2), 59-72.

Marck, P.B. (2000). Recovering ethics after technics: Developing critical text on technology. Nursing Ethics, 7(1), 5-13.
Matthews, J. (2008). Nursing ethics decision-making algorithm. St. Catharines, ON: Brock University.
http://fahs.brocku.ca/profiles/pdfs/Algorithm%20for%20decision%20making%20to%20CNA.pdf

Melnychuk, R.M., & Kenny, N.P. (2006). Commentary: Pandemic triage: The ethical challenge. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 175(11), 1393 ff.
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/175/11/1393

Pauly, B., Goldstone, I., McCall, J., Gold, F., & Payne, S. (2007). The ethical, legal and social context of harm reduction. Canadian Nurse, 103(8), 19-23.

Peter, E., & Liaschenko, J. (2004). Perils of proximity: A spatiotemporal analysis of moral distress and moral ambiguity. Nursing Inquiry, 11(4), 218-225.

Peter, E., & Morgan, K. (2001). Explorations of a trust approach for nursing ethics. Nursing Inquiry, 8(1), 3-10.

Peter, E., Lunardi, V., &  Macfarlane, A. (2004). Nursing resistance as ethical action: examining the possibilities & problems. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 46(4), 403-416.

Peter, E.H., Macfarlane, A.V., & O’Brien-Pallas, L.L. (2004). Analysis of the moral habitability of the nursing work environment. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 47(4), 356-367.

Rodney, P., & Varcoe, C. (2001). Towards ethical inquiry in the economic evaluation of nursing practice. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 33(1), 35-57.

Royal College of Nursing, Australia. (2000). Position Statement: Conscientious objection. Canberra: Author.

Social justice: A means to an end and an end in itself. (June 2006). Canadian Nurse, 102(6), 18-20.

Storch, J. (2005). Patient safety: Is it just another bandwagon? Nursing Leadership, 18(2), 39-55.

Storch, J. (2007). Enduring values in changing times: the CNA codes of
ethics. Canadian Nurse, 103(4), 29-37.

Storch, J., & Kenny, N. (2007). Shared moral work of nurses and physicians. Nursing Ethics, 14(4), 478-491.

Varcoe, C., & Rodney, P. (2002). Constrained agency: The social structure of nurses’ work. In B.S. Bolaria & H. Dickinson (Eds.), Health, Illness and health care in Canada (3rd ed., pp.102-128). Scarborough, ON: Nelson Thomas Learning.

Volbrecht, R.M. (2002). Nursing Ethics: Communities in Dialogue. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Waters, W.F. (2001). Globalization, socioeconomic restructuring and community health. Journal of Community Health, 26(2), 79-92.

Webster, G., & Baylis, F. (2000). Moral residue. In S.B. Rubin & L. Zoloth (Eds.), Margin of error: The ethics of mistakes in the practice of medicine (pp. 217-232). Hagerstown, MD: University Publishing Group.

White, G. (2001). The code of ethics for nurses: Responding to new challenges in a new century. American Journal of Nursing, 101(10), 73, 75.

World Health Organization. (2007). Ethical considerations in developing a public health response to pandemic influenza. Geneva: Author.
http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/WHO_CDS_EPR_GIP_2007_2c.pdf


Other Resources in French 

Blondeau, D. & Hébert, M. ( 2002). La responsabilité professionnelle de l’infirmière. Dans Olive Goulet & Clémence Dallaire Les soins infirmiers, vers de nouvelles perspectives. Boucherville : Gaëtan Morin, p. 143-160.

Blondeau, D. & Lavoie, M. (2007). Les enjeux éthiques du recours au placebo. Perspective infirmière, 4 (5), 41-44.

Bouvet, A. de & Sauvaige, M. (dir.) (2005). Penser autrement la pratique infirmière : pour une créativité éthique. Bruxelles : De Boeck.

Durand, G, Duplantie, A., Laroche, Y & Laudy, A. (2000). Histoire de l’éthique médicale et infirmière. Montréal : Presses de l’Université de Montréal.

Lambert, C. (2006). Espoir et fin de vie: un paradoxe source de tension morale. Perspective infirmière, 3 (6), 41-44.

Mullins, G. (2005). Le soulagement de la douleur : entre obligation et prohibition. Frontières, 17 (2), 66-70.

O.I.I.Q. (2005). Pour des relations professionnelles intègres : orientations à l’intention des infirmières concernant l’indépendance professionnelle et les conflits d’intérêt. Montréal : Auteur.

O.I.I.Q. Chronique déontologie. ( Thèmes divers, par exemple : les devoirs inhérents à l’exercice de la profession, les relations entre infirmières/infirmiers et le client, la qualité des soins et services). En ligne http://www.oiiq.org/infirmieres/deontologie.asp. (17 mars 2008).

Rodney, P., Doane, G.H., Storch, J. & Varcoe, C. (2006). Pour un cl

imat favorable à la sécurité. L’infirmière canadienne, 7 (8), 19-22.

Saint-Arnaud, J. (2006). Enjeux éthiques et processus décisionnel en santé communautaire dans Gisèle Carroll (dir.) Pratiques en santé communautaire. Montréal : Chenelière Éducation, p. 333-367.


Websites for International Documents on Human Rights

Numerous documents can be found on websites. For example:

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Constitution of the World Health Organization.

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 12.

Universal Declaration on Human Rights, Article 25.

UN Resolution 46/119: Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care.


For more information on these and other international documents on human rights see:

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): http://www.unesco.org
United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: http://www.un.org/rights
World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/en/


Resource List from Providence Health Care Ethics Seminar: Integrating Ethical Reflection Into Practice

The following resource list was made available by Providence Health Care (http://www.providencehealthcare.ca/index.html) from the 2009 ethics seminar: Integrating Ethical Reflection into Practice. Entries that appear elsewhere in this document have been removed to avoid duplication.


Introduction to bioethics

Jonsen, A., Seigler, M., & Winslade, W. (2007). The four topics: Case analysis in clinical
ethics. In N. Jecker, A. Jonsen & R. Pearlman (Eds.), Bioethics: An introduction to
the history, methods and practices (pp. 164-170). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Rodney, P., Burgess, M., McPherson, G., & Brown, H. (2004). Our theoretical landscape: A
brief history of health care ethics. In J. Storch, P. Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.), Toward a moral
horizon: Nursing ethics for leadership and practice (pp. 56-97). Toronto: Pearson-Prentice Hall.


Organizational ethics

Hamel, R. (2006). Organizational ethics: Why bother? Ethics, 87(6).

Hamel, R. (2008). Ethics – Fostering an ethical culture: Rules are not enough. Health Progress, 90(1),10-12.

Extensive lists of websites, institutes and topics:
http://www.duke.edu/~wgrobin/ethics/surfing.html

General business ethics resources at the Center for Applied Ethics:
http://www.ethics.ubc.ca/resources/business/

General site for ethics on the web:
http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/ethics/ethics_list.html

Center for Applied Ethics:
http://www.ethics.ubc.ca/
http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/ethics/listserver.html


Resource allocation and public policy

Daniels, N. (1994). Four unsolved rationing problems: A challenge. Hastings Center Report, 24(4), 27-29.

Maddalena, V. (2006). Governance, public participation and accountability: To whom are
regional health authorities accountable? Healthcare Management Forum, 19(3), 32-37.

Outka, G. (1992). Social justice and equal access to health care. In R. Munson (Ed.),
Intervention and reflection: Basic issues in medical ethics (pp. 594-603). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Veatch, R. (2000). A new basis for allocating livers for transplant. Kennedy Institute of Ethics
Journal,10(1), 75-80.


Culture in health care: Caring for a diverse population

Ho, A. (2008). Relational autonomy or undue pressure? Family’s role in medical decision
making. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 22(1), 128-135.

Ho, A. (2008). Using family members as interpreters in the clinical setting. The Journal of
Clinical Ethics, 19(3), 223-233.

Rodney, P., Brown, H., & Liaschenko, J. (2004). Moral agency: Relational connections and
trust. In J. Storch, P. Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.), Toward a moral horizon: Nursing ethics
for leadership and practice (pp. 154-177). Toronto: Pearson-Prentice Hall.

Sherwin, S. (2007). Gender races, and class in the delivery of health care. In N. Jecker, A. Jonsen and R. Pearlman (Eds.), Bioethics: An introduction to the history, methods
and practice (pp. 283-292).Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.


Moral distress

Austin, W., Kagan, L., Rankel, M., & Bergum, V. (2008). The balancing act: Psychiatrists’
experience of moral distress. Journal of Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 11(1), 89-97.

Austin, W., Rankel, M., Kagan, L., Bergum, V., & Lemermeyer, G. (2005). To stay or to go, to
speak or to stay silent, to act or not to act: Moral distress as experienced by psychologists. Ethics
& Behavior, 15(3), 197-212.

Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (2006a). Staffing for safety: A synthesis of the evidence on nursing staffing and patient safety. Ottawa: Author.

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