SILVER SPRING, MD, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the American Nurses Association (ANA) Center for Ethics & Human Rights released the highly anticipated 2025 revision of the Code of Ethics for Nurses (Code). For more than 60 years, the Code of Ethics for Nurses has been the cornerstone of ethical nursing practice providing guidance and instruction to effectively and honorably carry out the ethical responsibilities required of the nursing profession.
In its latest update, over 6,000 nurses worldwide shared their insights to ensure it reflects today’s realities. A panel of 49 experts, including six co-chairs, spent more than 600 hours refining the Code to address key issues like health disparities, racism, allyship, workplace safety, and emerging technologies, keeping the Code relevant and guiding nurses through the complexities of modern healthcare.
Some of the key updates introduced include:
- Global Health Commitment: A new 10th provision affirms nursing’s role in advancing human and environmental well-being worldwide.
- Confronting Structural Oppression: The Code now identifies racism as a public health crisis and acknowledges intersectionality in healthcare.
- Redefining Duty: Self-care and patient care are inseparable—nurses’ well-being directly benefits those they serve.
“It is the tremendous responsibility and honor held by the American Nurses Association to maintain the Code of Ethics for Nurses. The Code is the social commitment from nurses to the public that we will uphold the ethical responsibility of our profession in pursuit of the health of our patients,” said Liz Stokes, PhD, JD, RN, director at the ANA Center for Ethics & Human Rights. “The Code was revised to guide the nurses of today and tomorrow who exemplify our profession's moral duty to provide and advocate for safe, quality, and compassionate care for all patients and communities.”
For 23 years, the American public has ranked nursing the “Most Honest and Ethical Profession” among other notable professions such as medical doctors, engineers, and veterinarians.
“The Code of Ethics for Nurses is a living, breathing body of work that is exercised and interpreted by nurses every day in all they do. Whether in the boardroom or at the bedside, the Code is a necessary instrument for practice, policy, and standards in all facets of nursing,” said American Nurses Association’s President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “The power of nurses and the phrase ‘nursing is a calling,’ is true. The identity of being a nurse permeates our very being and all that we do—be it as caretakers, advocates, or educators—we are dedicated to delivering healthcare for all.”
To provide better understanding of the Code’s foundational values and relational structure, ANA has released peer-reviewed, continuing nursing education (CNE) accredited courses for the first three provisions, with the remaining modules to be released throughout 2025. To access the revised Code of Ethics for Nurses, visit codeofethics.ana.org.
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About American Nurses Association
The American Nurses Association is the only association that represents and serves as the professional home for all registered nurses in every specialty and practice setting. We believe nurses are the heartbeat of healthcare. It is our calling to champion nurses and the causes they care about by working for improved work environments, top-notch education, smarter policies, and stronger partnerships. We advocate to amplify nurses’ roles, their voices, and their value across healthcare and in society.
The American Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
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LaShondá Steward American Nurses Association lashonda.steward@ana.org
