Their research shows that significant safety risks are posed by workers staying awake for long periods. Nurses are placed in a unique situation when confronted by demands for overtime. We are ethically bound to refuse to engage in behavior that we know could harm our patients. Absent legislation, nurses will continue to confront this dilemma. Problems arising from mandatory overtime harm nurses, their patients, and the nursing profession.
Patient advocacy is the heart of nurse's professional commitment.
In turn, patients depend on nurses to ensure that they receive proper care. Patients must be assured that nurses and other health care professionals, acting within the scope of their expertise, will be able to speak for them without fear of retaliation. Whistle-blowing by nurses usually results from concern about issues that jeopardize the health or safety of patients, or occupational safety and health violations that place the employee at risk. In particular, nurses have been instrumental in identifying violations of research standards and refusal of care to newborns. In 1989, Congress enacted the Whistle-Blower Protection Act to protect Federal workers.