Chapter Three begins with exploring the role of Canadian law because
nurses who have a working knowledge of the Canadian legal system are better
equipped to deal with legal issues that may arise during their practice. A brief overview
of The Canadian Constitution and The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is also
undertaken for similar reasons. Key aspects of the role of the Canadian Nurses
Association (CNA) are presented followed by a discussion of the purpose and
foundation of the CNA Code of Ethics. A connection is drawn between themes from
the CNA Code of Ethics and the ethic of care. Nurses are made aware that the ethical
values and responsibilities as laid out in Part I of the CNA Code of Ethics are not
discretionary and must be followed by all practicing nurses. Each of the seven CNA
Code of Ethics values are then discussed in terms of how they play out in actual
practice and narratives are used to emphasize important points. Some topics that
directly relate to Part I of the CNA Code of Ethics include: safety and nursing research;
what to do if a nurse suspects that a health professional is practicing unsafely or
unethically; key elements of informed consent; and the role of the nurse practitioner
and registered nurse in medical assistance in dying (MAID). The Chapter ends with a
Case in Point where a nurse deliberately covers up a mistake that costs a client their
life.
Keywords: Accountability, Common law, Case law, Compassion, Criminal law,
Civil law, Conscientious objection, Confidentiality, Distributive justice, Ethics,
Ethic of care, Injustice, Justice, Knowledge and care, Law, Medical assistance in
dying (MAID), Nursing research, Nursing competence, Precedent, Practice
standards, Statutory law, Safety, Safety plan, Self-disclosure, Social justice,
Social injustice, The Supreme Court of Canada, The Canadian Constitution, The
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), The
CNA Code of Ethics, Values.
