Ethics Is Essential

ranked well in the poll.This year, pharmacists were ranked third and medical doctors fifth, placing them among only 5 professions with majority positive ratings of "very high" or "high."Although public perception of a profession's ethics may not be a true reflection of a profession's actual ethical behaviors, it is an important indicator of the trust and respect that underlie therapeutic relationships in health care.Ethics are inculcated in the health professions through formal education, professional organizations, and daily behaviors that reveal and reinforce the professional culture.Consensus about ethical standards is embodied in professional codes of ethics.Shared understanding of what is good and right is also gained through dialogue among members of a profession, with their interdisciplinary colleagues, and with the people they serve.What is mandatory and what is expected are explicated in formal codes of ethics for health care professions.The first formal code of ethics for nursing in the United States was adopted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) in 1950, and the most recent updated version was published in January 2025.The ANA's code of ethics for nurses constitutes a "nonnegotiable moral standard of nursing practice for all settings." 2(pxi) The preamble to the ANA code notes,