Basic Ethical and Legal Foundations of Nursing Practice: Correlations and Conflicts

Abstract

Nurses are having more and more difficulty distinguishing between ethical and legal aspects of nursing practice as health care becomes more and more complex. Conflicts between personal moral beliefs and codes of professional ethics may pose dilemmas for nurses, as may conflicts with other health care disciplines. To clarify those differences, this article will provide a brief introduction to basic ethical and legal principles that affect nursing practice in the United States.