Nurses are with the patient more than any other healthcare provider throughout the course of a patient’s stay. They are the primary advocates for all patients and are ethically held responsible for the benefit of the patient. Since completing the ethics assignments, my understanding of the nurse’s contribution towards ethics and research have changed immensely. Nurses are indeed involved in research-based studies and play an important role. It is a clinical responsibility to ensure that all rights are provided to the client before consent can be achieved. Although a nurse is not responsible for obtaining the consent form themselves, they are responsible for verifying completion prior to care. They are also there for patients that are not able to communicate for themselves. Nurses will fight for the rights of their patients to obtain the optimal benefit for that individual.

It is important for nurses to understand the history of our profession. As related to all aspects of history, if an event is not acknowledged, or forgotten, it is more than likely to be repeated. The healthcare system has produced many unethical studies throughout the past century that are outstandingly grotesque. Luckily for us, the government acknowledged how this research was not beneficial for patients and provided laws mandating the rights of the patient. It seems absurd to think that old ways of research could be performed again in modern medicine. As mentioned before, all events in history are alike. It is possible that once forgotten, any of these experiences can be repeated. Therefore, we will remember all historical points in healthcare to move forward in medicine, rather than backwards.

My achievements in this course have allowed me to find different ethical standpoints amongst research. Research is meant to bring about knowledge of an unknown subject, but it is also meant for the benefit of humanity. Therefore, we need to put specific laws in place that allow us to protect our subjects, as they are human beings. As a future nurse, I look forward to using this ethical standpoint to educate people with their given rights. To conclude, medical rights are extremely valuable, and should never be taken away from any person regardless of differences.