By Day 6 of Week 3
Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by supporting or expanding on the ideas identified by your colleague or sharing additional perspectives on the issue described by your colleague.
MS
Mia Lashonda Smith-August
Sep 8 5:04pm
Reply from Mia Lashonda Smith-August
Nursing values and professional ethics are deeply embedded in the advocacy priorities we uphold for vulnerable populations. Core nursing values such as compassion, respect for human dignity, advocacy, and justice align with the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, which emphasizes the nurse’s responsibility to protect and promote the health of individuals and communities (American Nurses Association, 2015). For example, when advocating for disadvantaged groups, such as older adults in institutional care or underserved minority communities, nurses act on their moral obligation to reduce health inequities (Raghavan, 2025).
Our nursing values demand that advocacy for vulnerable populations remain central to the professional agenda because failure to act perpetuates structural inequities. Ethical principles such as beneficence and nonmaleficence compel nurses to intervene against systemic barriers to care (Akyol & Küçükgüçlü, 2024). Additionally, the professional duty of justice requires that healthcare access and resources be equitably distributed, especially for those at risk of exclusion (Braveman et al., 2022).
When comparing the role of law, ethics, and politics in shaping advocacy priorities, ethics arguably exerts the most consistent influence. Laws may lag behind societal needs, and politics can shift based on power dynamics, but nursing ethics provide a stable framework rooted in human rights and professional integrity (Annen, 2025). However, law and politics cannot be ignored, as policies determine funding allocations, regulatory requirements, and access to services. Nurses, therefore, function at the intersection of all three domains, but their ethical commitment is what drives persistent advocacy on behalf of vulnerable groups.
References
American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only
Annen, H. (2025). Psychological responses to conflict and crisis–Understanding resilience, support mechanisms, and moral strain in times of global turmoil. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1684360. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1684360
Akyol, M. A., & Küçükgüçlü, Ö. (2024). Nursing and ethics: Addressing ethical problems in older adults’ institutional care. In Nursing and Ethics. Istanbul University Press. https://iupress.istanbul.edu.tr/en/book/hemsirelik-ve-etik/chapter/yaslilik-ve-etik
Braveman, P., Arkin, E., Proctor, D., Kauh, T., & Holm, N. (2022). Systemic inequities and the ethical imperative for health equity in nursing. American Journal of Nursing, 122(3), 24–32. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000822400.21521.9b
Raghavan, M. (2025). Advancing health equity: Nursing’s philosophical, theoretical, and ethical approaches to eliminating health disparities. Asian Journal of Research in Nursing, 21(5), 44–52. https://jagunifiedinternational.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AJRGN-Vol.21-5-Feb-2025.pdf
Ariane Lopez
Sep 8 11:15am
Reply from Ariane Lopez
Nursing Values and Professional Ethics in Advocacy
Nursing values and ethics are deeply grounded in the principles of beneficence, justice, respect for human dignity, and advocacy for vulnerable populations. The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics highlights the nurse’s responsibility to protect and promote patient rights, particularly for those who face barriers to accessing care (ANA, 2015). When patients experience disparities due to socioeconomic status, immigration status, or lack of insurance, the nursing profession has an ethical obligation to advocate for equity. These values reflect a commitment to compassion, integrity, and justice, ensuring that healthcare delivery responds to the needs of all individuals.
Why Nursing Values and Ethics Demand It Be on the Agenda
Our professional values require that disparities in care are not ignored. To remain silent would contradict the nurse’s ethical duty to prevent harm and advocate for justice. Nurses have a unique vantage point at the intersection of healthcare delivery and patient experience, witnessing firsthand the impact of inequities. As such, advocacy is not optional but rather a moral imperative. By elevating these concerns, nurses fulfill their ethical duty to influence policy and improve outcomes for populations at risk (Haddad & Geiger, 2022). This alignment between nursing values and advocacy ensures that vulnerable groups are represented in healthcare reform discussions.
The Role of Law, Ethics, and Politics in Advocacy
Law, ethics, and politics each shape the advocacy landscape for vulnerable populations. Law establishes the framework for healthcare delivery, such as Medicaid eligibility, insurance regulations, and licensure requirements. However, laws often lag behind population needs. Ethics motivate nurses to speak on behalf of those who cannot advocate for themselves, reinforcing the professional obligation to protect human dignity. Politics ultimately determines how resources are allocated, which services are funded, and which populations are prioritized. Policy decisions can either mitigate or exacerbate disparities.
Among these, politics has the greatest impact. While law provides structure and ethics drive advocacy, political decision-making shapes funding and policy reform, directly influencing healthcare access and quality (Williams et al., 2018). For this reason, nurses must engage politically, using their ethical foundation to push for policies that promote equity and justice.
Thank you,
Ariane Lopez
References
American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. American Nurses Association. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21735
Haddad, L. M., & Geiger, R. A. (2022). Nursing ethical considerations. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001098
Williams, S. D., Phillips, J. M., & Koyama, K. (2018). Nurse advocacy: Adopting a health in all policies approach. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No03Man02
“ By Day 6 of Week 3
Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by supporting or expanding on the ideas identified by your colleague or sharing additional perspectives on the issue described by your colleague.
