The Code of Ethics for Nurses ( Code) is the definitive standard for ethical nursing practice. This essential resource guides nurses as they make patient care and practice decisions in today’s complex healthcare environment. The Code also supports nurses in maintaining their professional integrity in all care settings. Anchored in nursing’s moral traditions, the Code emphasizes the profession’s 21st Century imperative to advance social justice and health equity.

Life and death decisions are a part of nursing, and ethics are therefore fundamental to the integrity of the nursing profession. Every day, nurses support each other to fulfill their ethical obligations to patients and the public, but in an ever-changing world – there are increased challenges. Learn more about how the Code of Ethics for Nurses, or “the Code”, is a vital tool for nurses now and in the future.